


The Agent & The Magician

by jensenacklesruinedmylife



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Doctor Magnus Bane, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, FBI Agent Alec Lightwood, Head Versus Heart, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magic, Protective, Protective Alec Lightwood, Romance, Spies & Secret Agents, Undercover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 00:26:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 57,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22026955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jensenacklesruinedmylife/pseuds/jensenacklesruinedmylife
Summary: Agent: Alexander Gideon LightwoodCodename: ShadowStatus: ActiveMission: Protect Dr. Magnus BaneOr, the one where Alexander Lightwood is an FBI agent with a heart of gold and crazy good archery skills; bullet or arrow, he's never missed a shot. Magnus Bane is an emergency medicine doctor with magical powers, an IQ of 150, and amazing bedside manor; he agrees to work with the FBI because frankly, it's a lucrative side gig. The agent and the magician meet twice, and the second time they meet is somehow messier than the first.
Relationships: Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Magnus Bane & Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Simon Lewis/Maia Roberts
Comments: 283
Kudos: 492





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your mission, should you choose to accept it...

“Magnus Bane?” Alexander asks aloud as he quickly reads through the case file that was just handed to him by Luke, his supervisor. He huffs and unbuttons his suit jacket so he can sit down in the chair behind him, and wonders if the bureau is playing a prank on him. “You’re assigning me to _Magnus Bane?_ ”

“I know you two have history –, “

“He’s my ex!” Alec shouts, and Luke narrows his eyes at him. “Sorry, sorry, I just…” he sighs, covering his face with the palm of his free hand. “God, it’s been a year since I last saw him.”

…

_19 months earlier._

Alexander meets Magnus while he’s undercover on a case in New York City. It’s going to be a six month job, so he has to blend in, meet the locals, and become a part of certain crowds. His mark at the time is the manager of a new bank that is actually a front for an underground weapons operation. He gets himself hired as a teller and plans on either becoming best buds with the boss or seducing him – whatever gets him access to the location of the weapons. A week passes, and Alec is starting to feel comfortable in his new role. His hotel is close to a few bars and restaurants, so one Thursday night he decides to go to a bar and mingle a bit. He can make friends easily enough, and can occasionally charm the pants off someone if he really wants to, so what’s the worst that could happen?

He saunters in, taking a quick scan of everyone in his vicinity – looking for threats, as per usual. He’s got a gun on his right ankle at all times, just in case. The bar looks moderately safe – low lights, candles, indie dance music – it isn’t too crowded, but Alec prefers it this way. He orders a gin and tonic and sips it while he observes his surroundings. He happens to glance over toward the pool tables, and that’s when he spots an extremely attractive stranger.

 _Wow, hello_ , Alec thinks, only half aware that he is staring. The Asian man is shorter than Alec, but stands like he is six feet tall, all bravado and poise. His hair is gelled, swept up neatly and the tips are dyed purple. He holds a martini in one hand and a cue stick in the other. The way the man’s delicate hand slides up, over, and down the cue stick sends Alec’s mind straight to the gutter.

He decides to watch the current game; Alec always enjoyed billiards. It reminded him of archery, which he was extremely good at. By the third time the shorter man leans down over the pool table to take his turn, Alec is certain of two things: One, this guy has an incredible ass; and two, he is hustling every player in the bar and making it look effortless. When the game finishes, his opponents shake their heads, probably wondering how the heck they lost their bets, and slap some bills into the man’s hands before giving him a friendly punch in the arm. Alexander hears his laugh from across the room, and it’s infectious. He feels himself smiling and lifts his glass to down the rest of his drink. When the glass is empty, he looks back over towards the pool table, and the guy he’d been staring at this entire time is looking him dead in the eyes, smirking in a way that makes Alexander feel like he’d just been caught with his hands down his pants.

Alec almost chokes. He coughs and spins back toward the bar to compose himself. _What the hell was that?_ He thinks, standing from his barstool and grabbing a napkin from the bar to dab away the drops of alcohol that fell from his mouth and onto his clothes. Once he’s finished, he uses his hands to smooth over the fabric of his black button-up shirt – a nervous tick. _You’re a damn FBI agent,_ he scolds himself silently. _Get it together!_ He takes a deep breath, sits back down, and orders water from the bartender. The drink comes quickly, and he chugs it down. Suddenly, he feels a presence to his left. His minds goes to work without his consent – male, late 20s to early 30s, lucrative job, expensive taste, smells _fucking delicious –._

“And who are you?” the man next to him asks, and Alec turns his head to get a good look at him. Unfortunately for Alexander’s ability to speak coherently, this man is even more gorgeous up close. He’s leaning comfortably on the bar, as if the two of them are old friends. His nails are painted black, and rings adorn almost all of his fingers. Usually, Alec would find that tacky, but somehow, it works on this guy. He’s wearing a silk button up, similar to Alec’s, except he’s added a waist coat that fits him perfectly. His eyes are a beautiful hazel, outlined neatly in dark eyeliner, and his teeth are white – _how are they so white? –_ behind a pair of very rosy, very kissable lips. Alec isn’t sure what cologne he’s got on, but he wants to drown in it. This is sensory overload at its finest, and the agent does not experience this very often. This guy has a face that says, _I could eat you alive,_ but also _devour me_ at the same time and Alexander doesn’t know how to feel, or think, or breathe?

_Snap out of it!_

He exhales, reverts to his training; slows his heart to a less lovesick range of beats per minute. It’s been about six seconds, he has to respond or risk losing something he isn’t sure he wants, but can’t wait to find out.

“Alec,” he says, immediately disappointed that he didn’t give him an alias. _Oh well, not like this will last more than a night._ “And you are?”

“I’m Magnus. It’s nice to meet you, Alec,” he smiles and sits down beside him. “You new to the city?”

“What makes you say that?” Alexander asks, waving down the bartender for another drink he’s sure he will need to get through this night without making an absolute fool of himself.

“I just haven’t seen you around before,” Magnus responds, and Alec pretends he doesn’t see Magnus glance at his lips before meeting his eyes again.

“Maybe you just never noticed me,” Alec answers, trying to play it cool, but Magnus laughs.

“Oh, no,” he states, giving Alec’s entire body a onceover, “I _definitely_ would have noticed you, trust me.”

Now, Alexander is an agent, and tends to trust no one, because that’s just what you do. People are hardly ever genuine, and everyone lies to get what they want, so why bother with trust? In this moment, however, Alec wants to trust Magnus, and he’s not sure why, and if he doesn’t have more alcohol soon, it’s going to freak him out.

So he orders a whiskey on the rocks, ignores every instinct screaming that this is a bad idea, and let’s down his guard. _What’s the worst that could happen?_

…

_Now._

“Bane’s extensive medical knowledge and access to victims of crimes around the city makes him a valuable asset, and we warned you not to have romantic relationships with assets,” Luke reminds his subordinate.

Alec looks up at look, incredulous, and Luke is actually smirking.

“I didn’t know, not at first!” Alec shakes his head and continues flipping through the file on his lap. “I can’t believe they let you assign him to me. I disclosed our entire history so that this _wouldn’t_ happen.”

“Unfortunately, that did not work in your favor,” Luke sighs. “We need the best on this, and that’s you.”

“Why do we need the best? Magnus isn’t exactly that hard to keep track of, nor does he get into much trouble. I mean, yes, he’s a genius, and yes he’s rich because of said genius, but –.”

“It’s not that,” a voice says from somewhere behind Alec. Luke looks up as Alec turns to see Agent Fairchild by the office door, holding a case file of her own.

“Jocelyn,” Luke stands up from his desk chair to invite her in. “Perfect timing.”

“I try,” Jocelyn smiles and shakes Luke’s hand, then turns and holds out a hand to Alec, who stands to shake it firmly.

“Alexander Lightwood, yes? I’ve heard great things about you upstairs. So glad you’re on this case with us.”

“Upstairs?” Alexander questions, looking from Jocelyn to Luke and back to Jocelyn as he lowers himself back down to his seat. “You work in the Special Humans Division?”

“I do,” she answers.

“May I ask… why I’m getting this assignment instead someone from your team? It can’t possibly be because I went on a few dates with the guy.”

“Agent Lightwood, this is the FBI. We all know it was more than just a few dates.”

Alec freezes, thinking he’s about to get reprimanded, _again_ , but then Jocelyn continues, “We aren’t going to get into that, but if one thing is true, it’s that you know Dr. Bane best, you’re one of our top agents, and Agent Garroway and I believe you’re the best guy for this assignment.”

“I appreciate all the high praise,” Alec states honestly, “but I’m still a little confused about what the Specials Humans Division wants with a New York City doctor.”

“We think Dr. Bane might be a Magician,” Luke states plainly, Alec is really glad he is sitting down, because he cannot believe what he is hearing.

“You guys think my ex-boyfriend, a resident at some fancy city hospital, is a Magician? Aren’t there only like, a couple hundred of them on earth at any given time?”

“We believe so, yes, “Jocelyn says, handing a file over to Alexander, “and we have evidence that points to Magnus Bane as one of them, which puts him in danger.”

Alexander opens the folder and his stomach drops. There are only nine photos, but each one is clearly taken from the vantage point of a voyeur, peering around corners and through windows in an attempt to catch Magnus off guard – asleep in his bedroom, crying in his car, shirtless on his balcony, and more. In some photos, there’s a hazy yellow glow around Magnus’ hands, indicative of the possible presence of magic. They’re zoomed in, almost intimate, and Alec suddenly feels fiercely protective of the young doctor.

Luke must catch on to what Alec is feeling, because he chimes in. “We believe whoever is taking these photos is looking for leverage, and might eventually try and force Dr. Bane to use his magic for the wrong reasons. There are bad people out there, and with the power of a Magician, even small-time lowlifes will be very hard to stop.”

“If Magnus… if he is a Magician, he would never allow that,” Alec says firmly, shaking his head. “I know him. He’s good.”

“That may be true, but everyone has a price,” Luke replies.

“Your mission,” Jocelyn cuts in, “is to confirm that Magnus Bane is in fact a Magician, flush out anyone who is trying to recruit him for their own purposes, and keep him safe at any cost. We have to make sure terror groups and extremists stay in the dark about his power.”

“Do you accept?” asks Luke, and the way he asks makes Alexander wonder if he’s trying to give him an out. But he’s an FBI agent. He protects people and kicks major ass. Now he just has to find a way to do that whilst navigating his feelings for his ex, who he's pretty sure will be less than thrilled to see him. But they’ll cross that bridge when they get to it – he has a job to do.

“I accept.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They meet for the second time.

For years, Magnus Bane dreamt about becoming Chief Resident, flying solo, calling (most of) the shots, and making sure his patients receive the best care possible. Most days, he can do just that, and feels absolutely glorious at the end of the day. This past week, however, had been a nightmare. By the end of his shift on Saturday morning, he had been spat at, vomited on, lied to by a second-year resident, and scolded by an attending. He hasn’t slept in 20 hours, his body aches all over, and he’s so hungry he can hear is stomach grumbling. Walking to his car in the blinding September sunlight makes him wish he could turn the sun off with a snap of his fingers. _Maybe someday,_ Magnus thinks to himself as he climbs into his car, _I’m sure there’s a spell for that somewhere_. He picks up the empty glass water bottle he keeps in his car’s cupholder for mornings like this. Gripping the bottle firmly, Magnus steadies his breath. _For now, an instant smoothie will do._ He concentrates, and his hand starts to glow yellow. He closes his eyes, and when he opens them, there’s a fresh peach smoothie inside the bottle. Magnus grins and takes a sip, proud of himself. He takes a few more sips before putting the drink down in his cupholder and pressing the car’s start button.

“I think my tub is calling to me,” he says aloud as he puts the car into reverse. Usually he would portal straight home, but that’s a bit difficult to do in the employee parking lot in broad daylight without being noticed, so Magnus decides against it. He bought his fancy car so he would actually enjoy driving almost as much as portaling, and so far, he is satisfied.

He arrives home after about 20 minutes and pulls his car into the private lot. He finishes his smoothie and murmurs a quick cleaning spell – one of the first “tricks” he learned after discovering his powers back when he was 21. He sets the bottle in the cupholder and steps out of the vehicle. He remembers how sore he is as soon as he’s standing again and lets out a sigh. _So glad I’m off until Wednesday,_ Magnus remembers, and heads inside. He makes it to the elevator, almost giddy at the thought of soaking his tired limbs in the warm water of his oversized tub. He’s about to press the up button when he hears a familiar voice call out from somewhere behind him in the empty lobby.

“Magnus,” says the voice, and Magnus would recognize it anywhere. It can’t be. He’s back? _Why is he back? No… you don’t care why! He broke your heart!_ Magnus stills, straightens, and turns slowly, until he’s face to face with Alexander Lightwood.

Approximately 45 seconds pass between them in silence, and Magnus is still speechless. He doesn’t know how to react; he has so many questions, so many things he wants to say, to yell at Alexander, but the words aren’t coming and all he can do is stare. He’s shocked; hasn’t seen the man in a year, they haven’t kept in touch, he has no idea where he’s been, how he’s doing – for a while, Magnus thought Alec might be dead, killed on the job, and he wondered then if he’d ever know for sure. But here he is: Alexander Lightwood, alive and well in the lobby of his apartment, all sad brown eyes and fighter stance, broad shoulders and messy hair and _good god his hair probably smells like heaven, I wonder if it’s still as soft as it used to be –_

“I know I’m probably the last person you want to see,” Alec starts, snapping Magnus out of his daydream. He takes a breath, steadies himself. They’re only a few feet apart now, too close and yet, somehow, still so far. Alexander takes a step forward and Magnus immediately takes a cautious step back. Alexander freezes, a flash of hurt on his face before he composes himself. He stands with his hands clasped behind his back and continues, “The FBI has sent me here to protect you. They believe you might be in danger.”

Magnus scoffs, because he can’t help himself. “So the bureau sent you? You? Of all people?”

“They told me I’m the most qualified person for the job.”

“When I told you I never wanted to see you again, I meant it, Alexander,” Magnus spits. How dare they? How dare he? He’s spent a year trying to forget this agent ever existed and now here he is, _still so fucking gorgeous,_ infiltrating his life again.

“I know, I’m sorry, but we have no choice. I’m just f –,” Alec starts, but Magnus puts up a hand, fuming.

“Alexander Lightwood, if you tell me you’re ‘just following orders’ ever again, I swear to God—!”

“You’re right, you’re right,” Alec lifts both hands, palms facing the shorter man, “I’m sorry, Magnus,” he sighs, in an almost pleading fashion, and for a moment, Magnus almost feels bad for him. Here is a man, barely 29 years old, one of the youngest people to make it into the top ranks of an agency that pays him generously for the use of his skills and demands control over his entire life in return.

Sure, Magnus works for them too, but only on occasion, and regularly exercises his free will. Alexander, on the other hand, is loyal to a fault. Always the soldier, always following orders.

“You could have said no,” Magnus says, and it’s almost a whisper; he didn’t mean to say it out loud, but Alec hears him anyway, as always, and the way his face falls, he knows Alexander understands that they are no longer talking about his current assignment. _Might as well bring it home._

“You could have refused to do as they said, but you can’t help but follow every damn order.”

“Magnus, this is different, you’re not safe –.”

“Oh, now you care. Because I’m in some sort of danger and your precious bureau told you to come save me? Whatever.”

Magnus spins on his heels and presses the up button to call the elevator. It arrives in a few seconds, dinging before the double doors slide open. He steps inside, and hears Alexander rushing to get on with him. Unfortunately, the doors stay open just long enough for him to slip through with his bags – one a duffel, probably filled with equal amounts of clothes, weapons, and tactical gear. The other bag is an odd shape, but Magnus knows exactly what it is.

 _This idiot brought his bow and arrow. What is this, some sort of retreat?_ Magnus rolls his eyes and taps his key fob against the sensor. The light in the sensor goes from red to green, and he hits the button labeled PH.

“Penthouse? That’s an upgrade,” Alec comments, clearly trying to maneuver the conversation away from the previous topic.

“A lot of things change in a year,” Magnus deadpans. He looks straight ahead and attempts to keep a straight face. He doesn’t know if he should be seething or sobbing. How is this man, this hurricane of a man, this man he swore he would never speak to again, back in his life? Magnus already resents the FBI, but this is the icing on the cake. “So what’s the mission?” he asks, since there’s always a mission, and if Magnus is being honest, he is a bit curious.

“Well, I have to protect you –”

“From?” Magnus interrupts, impatient.

“It’s… we’re not sure. It’s complicated. I’ll explain everything after you sleep. I assume you’re coming off an overnight?”

“You know what assuming does, right?”

Alexander rolls his eyes. “Okay, unless you suddenly stopped wearing makeup, jewelry, and nail polish altogether, I am almost certain you are coming off a string of shifts. You hate looking ‘plain’ or ‘boring’,” he adds air quotes, “but you love your job, so you don’t mind dialing it down for work.” Alec stands a little straighter, readjusts his bags on his shoulders. “I know you, Magnus.”

 _There’s a lot you don’t know,_ Magnus thinks, but says nothing. Now is not the time. The 30 second ride up to his apartment feels more like 30 minutes, and he’s so tired his vision is starting to blur. Finally, the elevator dings, and the doors open to reveal his foyer.

“Here we are. I assume the FBI has you undercover as…Alec Gideon, the bank teller, again? It only makes sense, since you’re in the same city,” Magnus inquires as he strides into his apartment, Alexander following a few steps behind. He hangs his work bag on a hook on the wall and pauses in front of his antique mirror. Wow, _I look horrible. Such a great way to see my ex again._ He catches Alec wincing in the reflection. Magnus turns. “Well?”

“Well, kind of – that bank went under, obviously, so I’m not sure what exactly they want me doing besides basically acting as your bodyguard…” he rambles, placing his bags on the floor and patting his pockets for his phone. He finds it quickly and looks at the screen. He types a long sequence of characters – codes, Magnus is sure – and reads along the screen until he finds something. “Oh, here it is. I’m… an old friend visiting from out of town. I’m supposed to stay here with you, in one of your spare rooms… unless you would rather me find a hotel, it’s just easier to monitor any suspicious activity if I’m in the same place that you are.”

“Ha! Suspicious activity in my apartment, where I live alone? This barely makes any sense, even for the FBI. Are you sure they gave you the right assignment?”

Alexander runs a hand through his hair and sighs, “Yes, Magnus, I’m sure.” He bends down to grab some files out of his duffel bag and walks into the living room. He places the folders on the coffee table and sits down heavily on the couch by the French doors of the apartment. He looks too comfortable, _too familiar_ , and Magnus’ head is spinning.

“Look, there’s a lot I have to show you and tell you and ask you, Magnus –.”

“And I, you!”

“—of course, but you won’t absorb any of it if you don’t get some sleep. Bottom line? You could be in serious danger, and the FBI considers you a very valuable resource, so they sent me to figure out who is trying to get to you so we can better protect you from them.”

Magnus shakes his head, almost certain that he’s hallucinating now. This is all too much. All this FBI business… Didn’t they break up to _avoid_ this kind of nonsense? _What is going on?_

“You’re right, I need to sleep, this is...a lot.”

“I know, Magnus, I’m sorry. I promise I’ll explain everything later tonight.”

Magnus grunts, wipes his eyes with his hands and takes a few steps towards his bedroom, but suddenly his head is pounding; he feels lightheaded and dizzy. _God, I’m exhausted._ “I can’t… I’m gonna… gonna lay down...”

“Magnus? Are you okay?”

“M’fine,” he murmurs, but the floor is shifting under his feet and he’s losing ground. He can hear the blood rushing to his ears, knows he’s about to pass out and regrets not sleeping more the day before. _God, this is embarrassing._ He braces to hit the floor, but it never comes. Someone catches him. _Alexander…_

There are fingers on his neck, feeling for a pulse, he recognizes. “Magnus?” A shake. “Magnus!” There’s a painful sensation in the middle of his chest. Magnus moans, and not the fun kind. He grabs for whatever is there and finds Alec’s wrist, stopping the motion. _Fuck, sternal rubs are effective. Good to know._

“Hey, I’m right here, okay?” Alec is still talking to him. He’s more conscious but somehow even more tired. “You’re gonna be fine. Just sleep, I got you.”

“You… you could have said no…” Magnus hears himself whisper. There’s a tear in his eye, but he’s too tired to question it, or wipe it away, so he lets himself sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I worked a 12 hour shift today but cranked this chapter out because your comments made me feel SOME TYPA WAY. My heart is so full. I wanted to have at least a couple chapters up before the new year. Gonna try and give you chapter 3 with an ANGST FILLED FLASHBACK before I got on vacation Friday. Stay tuned! Love you all and thank you for reading. Comments are my drug, bless your precious souls ilysm. 
> 
> xx, Edwina


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec remembers the breakup.

_You could have said no…_

Magnus’ quiet words ring at full volume in Alexander’s ears, so loudly that he can almost feel the words reverberate in his bones. Suddenly, everything is so heavy – Magnus, asleep in his arms, the weight of his heart in his chest, his current mission, his past choices – everything feels like a 20-ton weight sitting on his shoulders. He can’t do his job in this state. He needs to get out of his head, but those words, they bring back memories of a time he would rather not remember.

“I wanted to say no,” Alec says to Magnus quietly, picking up his sleeping form bridal style and carrying him toward what looks like his bedroom. He lays Magnus down gently on the bed, careful not to bump his head or his limbs on any furniture. He places blankets over him and lays his hand on his chest to make sure it rises and falls with each breath, solidifying in his mind that Magnus is okay before stepping back. He stares at the doctor’s sleeping face for a minute, taking note of the stubble on his chin and the flutter of his eyelashes. He looks around the room – the dark purple walls, the chandelier, the plush bedsheets, the almost regal aesthetics – it’s all so very Magnus, and there’s a pang in his heart that feels like longing. _I miss him._

“I wanted to say no, but I needed to protect you,” Alec says aloud, knowing Magnus can’t hear him, but hoping he might anyway. “I will always protect you, Mags.”

After a few moments, Alec turns to exit the bedroom and pulls the door slowly, leaving it ajar, just in case. He sighs when he reaches the living room again, plopping back down onto the couch. He looks at the files on the coffee table in front of him, glances over to the door and sees his bags still on the floor; he knows he should get to work setting up surveillance, keep his mind busy. But it's too late; Magnus’ words have brought back the memories of one of the worst nights of his life, and it’s all Alexander can do to keep from sinking into them.

…

_13 months earlier._

It’s late on a warm Monday night when they apprehend the weapons dealer, also known as the bank manager, or Alexander’s former boss. The undercover agent tricked his former boss into believing that Alec was just as greedy and power hungry as he, and while it took some convincing, the manager eventually took Alec under his wing, and trusted him with his secrets. Alec was only after one secret, however, and when he got what he needed, he immediately alerted his superiors to the location of thousands of illegal and stolen weapons. Alec lead his target right into a trap at the New York Harbor, where the FBI was already waiting. The weapons are confiscated, the dealer is arrested, and after six long months, Alexander is free to go back to his real life as himself and burn his ‘Alec Gideon’ alias for good. Mission accomplished. Except for one thing:

Magnus.

_Shit._

The adrenaline rush from the mission subsides and Alexander remembers his boyfriend, who thinks he only had a meeting with his boss this evening _._ Sweet Magnus, who has no idea who Alec really is, or what he really does, and now Alec has to somehow explain that he is leaving for Washington D.C. in the morning. Because that’s where he lives. Because he works for the FBI. _Shit._

Alexander looks at his watch and sees that it’s already 3AM. _Shit shit shit._ The team doesn’t need him at the scene anymore now that the weapons dealer is in custody, so he looks for the person in charge, lets him know he’s heading out for the night, and gets an officer to drive him back into the city, where Magnus lives. On the ride there, he checks his phone, and sees multiple missed calls and worried texts from Magnus, and Alexander feels horrible. _He deserves better than this,_ Alec thinks. He sends a quick text –

_Alec [0328]: Magnus I’m so sorry, I’m okay I promise, I’ll explain everything when I get home. <3 _

_Mags [0330]: Thank GOD._

_Mags [0330]: This explanation better be good._

Alexander lets his head fall back onto the leather seat of the car. He’s been dreading this moment for months, thought he had time, but his time has officially run out. _You knew it wouldn’t last forever,_ he scolds himself, _you shouldn’t have gotten so damn attached._ How did he not prepare for this? Why didn’t he leave sooner? How did he let himself get so swept up into a life that wasn’t real?

 _Because you love him,_ Alec realizes, _and it is real._

_Shit._

…

Magnus opens the door to his apartment before Alexander even has a chance to knock. He opens his mouth to ask how the heck he knew when he’d arrive, but Magnus immediately yanks him inside by the arm and wraps him in the tightest hug he’s received in years, practically squeezing the air out of him. Then he suddenly releases Alec and shoves him away, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Would it really have killed you to send _one_ measly text? Just so I wouldn’t have to think you were dead on the road somewhere?”

“Magnus, I’m sor—”

“I know your job is important, but what kind of bank manager runs meetings until the crack of dawn? Did you go out after? Have a celebratory drink? Because if you did, that’s fine, I just wish –.“

“Magnus!” Alec interrupts, and Magnus looks surprised. He feels bad about yelling, but Magnus is rambling, and if Alexander doesn’t say something soon, he’ll lose his nerve completely. “I’m sorry I didn’t contact you and I never wanted to worry you, I know you’re confused and you probably have a ton of questions, but there are things I need to tell you, and I…” Alexander swallows a lump in his throat, “…Can we sit down?”

“You’re cheating on me,” Magnus says, arms still crossed. Like he’s convinced. “I knew this was too good to be true.”

“What? No!” Alec shakes his head vigorously, “Magnus, I would never cheat on you. You know that!”

“Do I? You’re out late all the time, you take phone calls and answer texts outside or in another room, you live out of a hotel room, you –.”

“I’m not cheating on you, babe, I swear. Now, can we please go sit down? I have… a lot to say.”

Magnus looks skeptical, but he nods and uncrosses his arms, “Fine. Living room?”

“That works,” Alexander replies, and reaches for one of Magnus’ hands. Magnus takes it, and together they walk into the living area of the apartment. Alec hopes Magnus can’t feel him shaking. He doesn’t want to do this. Every cell in his body is screaming at him to stay, to keep being Alec Gideon, to let himself be happy – but he can’t. Staying with Magnus as his alias would only put Magnus in danger. Plus, he is expected back at headquarters tomorrow afternoon. He can’t just drop off the map, or risk being labeled as a rogue agent.

Then there’s the fact that Magnus is an FBI asset.

Alexander didn’t know about this until a couple months ago, when he was checking in with a fellow agent, updating them on his progress. He shared the names of anyone he came into contact with regularly, so the bureau could run quick background checks and make sure no one was onto him. Each profile was sent back to him via secure email for him to review, and when he opened Dr. Bane’s file, he was shocked to find him listed as an asset since the year prior. He found a list of cases he’d consulted on, and payments made in return. It looked like Magnus also alerted the FBI if any suspicious deaths or illnesses occurred at his hospital. Alexander knew he was screwed the night he met Magnus, but now? Now he was royally _fucked._ He considered ending things then, but he thought ending a relationship without any obvious cause would seem somewhat suspicious, and he didn’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to himself or his life, so he pretended he didn’t know, and was even more careful about what he said and did around Magnus. That worked then, but now, here they are, sitting together on Magnus’ loveseat, and Alec already regrets everything he’s about to say.

“Okay, I’m listening,” Magnus says carefully, trying to hide his concern, but Alexander can see right through it. He’s still so worried, and Alec can’t help but lean forward and kiss Magnus, right on the mouth, to ease his mind, even if only for a second. They kiss for a few seconds, and Magnus starts to pull back, but Alec’s hands fly up to his neck to keep them there, in that moment. He knows it’s probably the last kiss they’ll share, so he wants to cherish it.

They separate after a minute, and Magnus is looking at him like he felt the desperation of the kiss. That, or he felt the wetness on Alec’s face against his own cheeks.

“You’re crying,” Magnus says softly, concern on full display now. He wipes a tear away with his thumb, holding Alec’s face in one hand. “Baby, what is this about?”

Alexander is just as surprised that he is crying. He knew he’d have to do this; it’s protocol. Why is he so saddened by it?

_Because you love him._

Alexander shakes his head, as if trying to shake the thought away. It doesn’t work.

“Magnus,” he starts with a shaky breath. He clears his throat, sits up a bit straighter. One hand is still holding Magnus’. He gives it a squeeze. “There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to say it.”

“Go ahead,” Magnus nods.

“I’m not who you think I am, Magnus.”

Magnus raises his brows but doesn’t speak.

Alexander continues, “My last name isn’t actually Gideon. That’s my middle name, but I use it as an alias. My real name is Alexander Gideon Lightwood, and I’m not a bank teller. I’m an FBI agent.”

Magnus just stares at Alec in disbelief, and Alec doesn’t blame him. He knows it probably all sounds crazy, and it’s a lot for Magnus to process, but he has to tell him everything.

“When we met, I was a week into my assignment – to gain the trust of a weapons dealer acting as a bank manager. I got a job working for him, found ways to gain his trust, and tonight we arrested him, and found all the weapons. That’s why I’ve been gone so long, and why I couldn’t text you back – I was wrapping up a mission.”

Magnus is still staring at Alec, but he pulls his hands away from him. Alec reaches for him again, but Magnus jumps up from the couch, stepping backward slowly.

“You’re…” he breathes, “…You lied to me.”

“Magnus, I—.”

“I have no idea who you are,” Magnus continues, and takes another step back, “I don’t know you at all.” He looks disgusted, and hurt, and Alexander is certain his heart is shattering.

“You do! Magnus, you know me, deep down, you know me,” Alec feels himself stand, feels the wetness in his eyes again, but he doesn’t move closer to Magnus, doesn’t want to scare him away. “Mags, babe, please.”

“No!” Magnus yells, “You don’t get to call me that. Not anymore.” He shakes his head, “You need to leave.”

“Magnus, please, just let me –.”

“Was any of it real?” Magnus asks, accusatory. “Everything we did, everything we said, everywhere we went… was it all just for show? Am I just some extra character in the fake life of Alec Gideon?”

“Magnus, it’s not like that! It’s complicated –.”

“Separating conjoined twins is complicated. This is simple: You’re a liar!”

“What we have is real, Magnus!” Alec exclaims, barely holding himself together. He wants to collapse, sob, _beg,_ but he has to get through this; he has to tell Magnus everything. “When I met you, sure, I didn’t think much of us, but after our first night together, you made me breakfast, and I was hooked.” Alec feels like he’s rambling, but he needs Magnus to know how he feels. “I care about you, Magnus. A lot. Shit, you’re probably the most important person in my life right now! And yes, I lied about my name and my job and I’m sorry, but what I have with you? It’s the realest thing about me. Magnus, I lo—.”

“Don’t,” Magnus warns. He puts a hand up, and Alec freezes. Magnus pinches the bridge of his nose, and Alec knows he’s trying not to cry. “Don’t you dare. You can’t just… you don’t get to reveal that our entire relationship is based on a lie, and then decide that _now_ you want to tell me you— ha! No.” He takes a breath and turns away from Alexander, facing the window. It’s still completely black out, and rain taps against the glass. “I want you out of my apartment.”

“Magnus—.”

“I want you out!” he shouts, still facing the window.

Alexander feels completely defeated, but he isn’t finished.

“I’ll leave,” he says softly, “for good.”

Magnus whips back around, arms crossed once again. “What?”

“I work for the FBI, so I live in D.C. They’re expecting me tomorrow.”

Magnus laughs, and it sounds empty. “This is rich. So you’re breaking my heart and running away? What a man.”

“This is hard for me too, Magnus,” Alexander pleads, “I don’t have a choice! I’m just following orders.”

“Following orders?” Magnus asks, in disbelief. “All of this because of some fucking _orders? That’s_ your excuse?”

“It’s not an excuse, but this is the FBI and I’m an agent, Magnus; I can’t just disobey a direct order!” 

“You have free will, don’t you? You can say no!”

For a moment, Alec actually considers this. He’s been slightly defiant before, but ignoring a direct order from his superiors? He could lose his job, his reputation, the respect of his peers – all for a man he’s known less than a year?

Magnus is looking at him, waiting for an answer. Alexander drops his head. “I’m sorry, Magnus. I don’t have a choice.”

“You always have a choice!” he yells, and Alec thinks he’s going to throw something at him, but nothing comes. Magnus simply turns back around, hand covering his face. He’s crying, Alec knows it, and he just wants to run to him, hold him, comfort him – but all of that is over now.

Alexander doesn’t know what else to say, doesn’t know how to fix this, but there’s nothing he _can_ do; he had to end it, and now it’s over.

Alexander unglues his feet from the living floor and starts walking toward the front door, distraught, when he hears Magnus speak.

“You could have said no, but you chose your job over me.” He shakes his head, still not facing Alexander, who is halfway out the door.

Alec’s chest constricts and he looks back to Magnus, “I’m so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen, Magnus, you have to believe –.”

“I never want to see you again,” Magnus states plainly, and with that, he leaves the living room to walk further into the apartment, without a second glance at the door, or Alexander.

...

The next morning, Alexander gets on a plane, Magnus calls in sick, and both men try to forget the other ever existed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is currently 2am and I once again stayed awake past the point of exhaustion to crank out this chapter. Sorry if there are typos or mistakes, I'll proofread it eventually, but I wanted to get another chapter up so you could enjoy it while I'm at work all day and tell me your thoughts!  
> Will try and have chapter 4 completed in the next 2 weeks; I'm going on vacation. I really do want to keep up with this, I just love my bbys magnus and alec so MUCH. and also ily guys for reading my nonsense. you're the BEST. P.S. Happy new year! 
> 
> xx, Edwina


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus attempts to keep his shit together. It doesn't go well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI BABES, I've been diligently working on this chapter while on vacation because I want to keep up the momentum. It's longer than I anticipated but I hope you like it! Please comment and let me know what you think. I like the direction this is going in so far but I love hearing your theories and ideas. 
> 
> The next chapter will introduce more characters, so I'm very excited to write it. 
> 
> Love you all! Happy reading!  
> xo, Edwina

_Now._

Magnus is still in his scrubs when he wakes, confused as to why he didn’t change before bed. _Gross._ He learned in medical school to always take off his scrubs first thing after getting home, no matter how comfortable they are. With a grunt, Magnus pushes himself to an upright position and throws his legs over the side of his bed. He feels like he’s slept for a week, but his watch tells him it’s only about 8PM. He usually only sleeps until about 4PM, but since he’s off for a while, his alarm was not set to wake him. That, and he’s been exhausted for days. He looks towards his master bathroom and remembers the bath he had been so excited about this morning, but something interrupted his plans –

“Alexander!”

The name comes out of his mouth like a yelp before he can stop himself and it all comes back to him – the lobby, the elevator, the mission, the argument, the fainting – it wasn’t a dream. Seconds later, there’s a knock at his door. It opens slightly to reveal a concerned Alexander, in all black, plus a thigh holster and fingerless black leather gloves that Magnus finds surprisingly attractive.

“Hey, I uh, heard you yell. You okay?” Alec asks, sounding almost as awkward and Magnus feels.

He shakes his head, looks down. “Yeah, I’m good. I just… remembered everything…”

“I know it’s a lot,” Alec says softly, “and there is more I need to tell you, but I know you probably need a little time to –.”

“You look like you’ve been busy,” Magnus comments, gesturing to Alec’s outfit. He didn’t mean to say that out loud, but he rolls with it. He refuses to be some flustered damsel. Magnus sits up a bit straighter, “Doing some…investigating, agent?”

Alexander looks down at himself and shrugs, “You could say that. I did some surveillance, set up a few cameras, made a copy of your key fob, and before you freak out, it’s only to be used if I can’t get a hold of you.”

“Who said I would freak out?” Magnus asks, only slightly offended, because he’s definitely freaking out. “It’s just an invasion of the privacy I thought I had until today.”

“Magnus, I know I don’t know you like I used to, but I still _know_ you. The FBI is suddenly in your business, and you hate that. I would, too.”

“I work for them too, sometimes, ya know,” Magnus blurts. This whole ordeal caught him off guard, and he hates feeling like he is at a disadvantage. But Alec doesn’t look surprised.

“I know,” Alec responds casually, “I’ve read your file.”

There’s a beat, and Magnus can feel his pulse quicken. _I have a file? My ex has read my file? What the hell is in my file?_ He takes a breath.

“Okay,” is all he has the capacity to say, because he’s still processing all of this. _Is this really happening?_ “I need a minute.”

He looks up at Alexander and sees him nod, “Take your time. I’ll be in the living room.” He shuts the bedroom door as he leaves, and when Magnus hears the soft click of the latch, he exhales loudly and lets his head fall into his hands. After about a minute of deep breathing, Magnus stands. He takes a few steps over to his full-length mirror that leans against the wall next to his bedroom window.

“That’s embarrassing,” he sighs. He takes in his wrinkled scrubs, his tired eyes, his overall exhausted demeanor, then makes his way to the bathroom. He thinks about taking a quick shower, but then thinks, _fuck it, I deserve that bath after the week I’ve had, FBI mission nonsense be damned._ He runs the water in his soaking tub and throws in some bath salts. He strips, steps into the warm water once the tub is half full, and tries to relax, but his mind won’t let him. _What did I do to deserve this kind of torture? Why do I need a bodyguard? ...Did he say cameras?_ Magnus opens his eyes and whips his head around to look for cameras in the corners of his bathroom, but he finds none. He makes a mental note to ask Alexander exactly where these cameras are and sinks further into the tub. The weight of the day seems to pull him under, and he can feel pressure behind his eyes. He’s losing his grip and he hates it, but he lets himself cry. He cries over the heartbreak from a year ago, cries over his current mixed feelings, cries because he’s worried that the FBI is right and he’s in legitimate _danger,_ and he lets it all go, tears falling into the bathwater and disappearing. He lets himself have this moment, raw and uninterrupted. _After this,_ Magnus promises himself, _you’re going to get your shit together._

…

Magnus exits his bedroom with an air of confidence that is completely fake, but he hopes Alec doesn’t notice. _He’s a fucking FBI agent, he’ll notice._ Magnus ignores that thought, shoves it to the back of his mind because it’s not important right now. Right now, he needs to feel like he has some sort of control over his life. This is why Magnus is dressed to the nines tonight – black jeans, leather belt, silk button-up, red suit jacket, hair gelled and shaped to perfection, rings, necklaces, and his favorite silver ear cuff – he made plans to go out with a few friends and he’s not going to cancel them just because his agent of an ex-boyfriend blew into town per orders of the bureau, or because he’s suddenly in some sort of danger. Plus, he needs this; he needs alcohol, and he needs some sense of normalcy.

He steps past his kitchen and into the living room, where Alexander sits hunched over what Magnus assumes are case files. Some are extremely wordy, others look like maps and graphs, and others are pictures, but the pictures that look an awful lot like… _What the hell?_ Magnus squints, and then his eyes go wide.

“Are those…photographs of me!?” His voice sounds panicked, rightfully so, but he curses himself silently for his inability to hide his emotions _._

Alexander’s neck snaps up from the files and he looks surprised, obviously shaken out of deep concentration. “Oh, Magnus, hey,” he starts, closing folders and flipping some of the photos face down, “I was about to come check on you… but wow, you look…”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Magnus accuses, slightly annoyed. He glances down again, goes to reach for the files on the coffee table, but Alec is faster and stands to block his path. Magnus huffs, tries to reach around Alexander, but again, he’s faster, and places a firm open hand against his chest.

“Magnus,” he says, in that _way_ that he does, with a tone that says, _listen to me because I care,_ with that voice he’s missed so much. “Those files are classified, and you don’t want to see them anyway, I promise.”

“You don’t know what I want, but you’re damn good at keeping secrets from me,” Magnus snaps, slapping Alec’s arm away from him, but Alec’s other hand comes around and grabs his wrist with a speed that almost scares Magnus, if he’s honest with himself. There’s a tense moment between them, then Alec releases his grip immediately, looking apologetic.

“S-sorry, I’m sorry,” he shakes his head, squeezes his eyes shut before opening them again. There’s a sadness there for a moment before it disappears. “Magnus, I don’t want to fight. I swear I’ll explain everything to you, everything we know so far about who might be after you, and why. I’m ready whenever you are. Although,” he pauses, gesturing with a hand, “it looks like you were going somewhere?”

“I am, but…” Magnus blinks, weighing his options in his head. He’s not even sure he wants to hear anything case related tonight. He’s still coming to terms with the fact that his ex-boyfriend is in his life again, and he can’t tell if it’s an angel’s blessing or a devil’s curse. _But the pictures._

“Who the hell is taking pictures of me?” he asks, looking at Alexander, “They looked so close up, I… how did they get so close?”

“Sniper cam. Top of the line.” Magnus thinks he must look as shocked as he feels, because Alec softens his face. “I know it’s a lot.”

“I’m still in denial,” Magnus admits out loud, “and I want to actually have fun tonight, so this conversation will have to wait until tomorrow, I’m afraid.”

“Tomorrow works,” Alec nods. He gives Magnus a onceover, and Magnus wonders if he is only imagining the look of lust in his eyes. It’s gone before he can be certain. “Where are we headed?”

“We?” Magnus raises a brow.

“Yes? I told you, with everything going on, the FBI has assigned me to be, well essentially, your glorified bodyguard. I go where you go.”

“Ha! And how am I supposed to introduce you to my friends? Oh hey guys, remember Alec? Well he’s actually an FBI agent with a different name and job and _entire life,_ and he’s back?”

Alexander looks sheepish, and Magnus knows he hadn’t thought about that.

“My life didn’t just stop when you left, Alexander” Magnus quips, “I made up an excuse as to why you were gone, told my friends you had a family emergency back in DC and would be staying there indefinitely, and that we had decided that we couldn’t handle a long distance relationship.”

“That’s… very clever,” Alexander says genuinely, “I’m impressed.”

“What, impressed that a heartbroken doctor could come up with such a believable lie? Please.”

Alec frowns. “Magnus, I didn’t mean –.”

Magnus waves a hand, “Doesn’t matter. Anyway, most of them didn’t believe me, and a lot of them think you ran off with another lover. You should expect hostility, from which I will not shield you.”

“I know,” he says, like he’s accepted this as his fate, knows he deserves it. “I can just be Alec again, in town to try and win you back?”

Magnus lets out a hollow laugh, “And I’m just letting you?”

Alexander shrugs. “You could say that you’re using me for the spoils. Once this case is over, you can kick me to the curb, tell your friends I didn’t make the cut… that I don’t deserve a second chance.”

“Did you want a second chance?” The words are out of Magnus’ mouth before he can stop them, and he wishes he knew a spell to rewind time and swallow them back.

Alexander looks like he’s going to respond, but Magnus’ phone rings in his back pocket, the baseline of Charlie Puth’s “Attention” filling the space between them. He scrambles to grab it, turning away and walking ten feet to the kitchen to answer it.

“Hello?” Magnus neglects to look at who was calling, too focused on getting away from the tension in the living room. He can hear loud music playing over the phone, however, so he has a good idea who it is.

“Dude, where are you?” His friend Simon is shouting, “Maia and I are here with Dot, Jace, and Clary. Plus, your favorite bartender is behind the bar, and they keep playing that Lizzo song you’re obsessed with!”

Magnus chuckles, “Sorry, I got caught up! I wanted to look hot!”

“You and your damn makeup routine. Worse than my girlfriend’s, I swear,” Simon laughs. “Okay, well we’re all waiting for you so we can get responsibly sloshed! Bad week at work means bad decisions. Hurry!”

The phone clicks, and Magnus realizes Simon just hung up on him. _Rude._ Magnus shakes his head fondly. He’s not sure where he’d be without his friends. The lot of them all met in first year, all starting the emergency medicine residency program at the same hospital. Over the years, some had specialized in other practices, but they were still a tight knit group. The stress of the medical profession can either bring people closer or rip them apart.

Speaking of…

“Alexander,” Magnus starts, walking back to the living room.

“Yeah?” Alec replies, standing again from his seat on the couch.

“You… changed?” Magnus is surprised to find Alec wearing a maroon V-neck tucked into a pair of dark wash jeans, brown leather boots, brown leather belt, and a fitted black blazer to finish. A silver watch, clearly expensive, adorns his left wrist. He adjusts it as he stands, hair tousled messily but _gorgeously._ His whole look screams _effortless sexiness_ and Magnus feels his mouth go dry. “How…?”

“I figured I’d get ready while you were on the phone. I’m fast, plus it helps that I don’t wear makeup.”

Magnus is about to retort with an insult, but Alexander smiles, and Magnus realizes that he is being teased. “I just like to be the prettiest one in the room,” he replies, shrugging. He’s not sure why Alec is acting this way, like things are okay again. It makes him simultaneously hopeful and uneasy.

“I’m sure you always are,” Alexander states, but not sarcastically, more like it’s simply a fact, like he truly believes it.

Magnus feels his pulse quicken again and swallows. “You’d be right,” he says plainly, turning to walk toward his front door to keep himself from staring. “Anyway, I’m already late, so we should get going.”

“Sure,” Alec responds. There’s rustling, and Magnus turns back and notices Alexander strapping a small gun to his ankle. Then, when he walks around the coffee table and adjusts his blazer, Magnus sees the handle of another gun tucked into the back waistband of his jeans. He catches his eyes as he walks closer, and a knowing look appears on Alec's face. “It’s just in case, I promise it's safe.”

Magnus feigns nonchalance, pretends the guns don’t worry him, or turn him on. Which they do. _I’m a fucking mess._

“I uh, don’t think they’ll let you into the club with those,” Magnus says, hitting the button on the wall to call the elevator.

Alexander whips out what looks like a wallet and flips it open to reveal his badge. “That’s why I take this everywhere. It’ll be fine, Magnus.” He tucks the badge into his back pocket.

Magnus raises both eyebrows. “How is this my life?” He shakes his head, turning to step into the lift. The sooner they get to the club, the sooner he can drink himself into oblivion and relax a little.

He hears Alexander chuckle and follow behind him. “You get used to it.”

Magnus certainly hopes he won’t have to.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec tries to stay out of his head.  
> It doesn't work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't get this chapter out fast enough, this story is COURSING THROUGH ME. I hope you like tension, because this chapter is FULL OF IT. And some angst, of course.  
> I know I said this chapter will introduce new characters, but I lied. The NEXT chapter will, however, so stay tuned! I hope you're enjoying the story so far, your likes and comments mean SO MUCH.  
> Love you all!  
> xx, Edwina (:

Magnus and Alexander step onto the elevator, and Magnus presses the button for the lobby. There’s a ding as the doors close, and the two men settle into a tense silence. Alec can tell Magnus is eyeing him in his peripheral vision. He doesn’t acknowledge it; instead, he checks his smart watch, taps the screen a few times to send a coded message telling his superiors that he’s on the move. He decides, stupidly, to chance a look at Magnus again.

_Bad idea._

The man looks like a piece of art, all black silk top and silver jewelry, clean-shaven face and sandalwood cologne, and Alexander worries he might actually start sweating. Magnus’ makeup is applied flawlessly, as usual. Black liner surrounds his eyes, making the hazel color of them even brighter. There’s glitter on his eyelids, and his lips are painted a deep red that matches his suit jacket. Alexander quickly realizes that he’s staring and averts his eyes before he gets caught.

The whole situation is fucking _nuts._

The ride down to the lobby allows Alec way too much time to think. He’s been trying his best to stay out of his head, keeping things casual and straightforward. It feels odd, but also oddly familiar, and he’s not sure which is worse. He’s trying to be lighthearted for Magnus’ sake – he should have briefed him completely by now, and Luke is going to have a fit when he finds out there’s been a delay, but like Jocelyn and Luke had said, Alec knows Magnus best, and in his professional opinion, it’s best to hold off for a bit. He has a lot to tell the doctor, who is clearly not ready to hear it yet. He’d never say it out loud, but Alexander knows Magnus is more fragile than he lets on. He remembers when they were together, after an extremely challenging shift, Magnus would come home late and walk straight into his bathroom to soak in the tub, distraught over a bad patient outcome, usually a child. At the hospital, Alec imagines that Magnus is quick-witted, clever, and professional, but as soon as he got home, he’d let himself _feel,_ usually telling Alexander about what happened without the HIPAA-violating details. If Alec was already at his apartment, he’d get in the tub with Magnus, washing his hair or massaging his shoulders while he spoke – never saying a word, just supporting his boyfriend.

His heart sinks a little as the elevator comes to a stop.

_I miss us._

“What?” Magnus tilts his head toward him, and Alec is suddenly aware that he definitely said that out loud. He feels his cheeks heat up.

“Nothing,” he coughs, “Remind me where we’re going again?”

“Pandemonium,” Magnus declares as he strides off the elevator and into the lobby. Alec follows, a few steps behind, eyes scanning the hundred-foot radius around them, per protocol. He allows himself to appreciate how good Magnus looks from behind, only for a second, then tries to focus on what he actually said.

“Is that a new one?” Alec asks, jogging to catch up with Magnus so that they’re side by side as they exit the apartment building to walk toward the parking lot. There’s a full moon tonight, and Magnus almost glows in the light of it. Alec once again tries not to stare.

“It is,” Magnus replies, pulling his keys out of his pant pocket. “You’ve missed a lot.”

The words are meant to sting, Alec knows that much, but before he can muster up another apology, they stop in front of a very expensive-looking vehicle. The car is a black, two-door model, with an obvious high gloss finish and a red leather interior. Alec’s jaw drops.

Magnus walks to the driver’s side, places his hand in the door handle, and the car unlocks.

“You’re drooling, darling,” he teases, “Charlotte doesn’t like being lusted after.”

Alexander snaps out of his apparent trance and looks at Magnus, who has one foot in the car. “You drive a Porsche? You _named_ your Porsche?”

Magnus shrugs. “As far as I’m concerned, this car cost about as much as a child, and I wanted to name my baby. Now get in, I’m super late and Simon is going to kill me for keeping everyone waiting.”

Alec obliges, walking quickly to the passenger side. He opens the door and slides in before shutting it. Magnus starts the car with the push of a button and it roars to life, and Alec can’t help but grin as he puts on his seatbelt. He’s always appreciated nice cars, and while his salary allowed him many comforts, he couldn’t splurge on a luxury vehicle without major financial consequences. Not yet, anyway.

“I can’t believe you drive a Porsche,” he repeats, looking around excitedly. “I know you have expensive taste, but damn.”

“You look like a puppy right now,” Magnus sighs dramatically and puts the car in drive, “Boys and their toys.”

“Hey, you’re the one who bought it,” Alec chides.

“As a gift to myself after I made Chief Resident,” Magnus answers, easing out of the lot and onto the busy street. “It was well deserved.”

“Wait, you made chief? Magnus, that’s amazing!” Alec exclaims, turning slightly in his seat to face the other man. “I know how badly you wanted that position.”

“You remember?” Magnus asks, his voice laced with doubt. He keeps his eyes on the road, giving Alexander a view of his side profile.

_Don’t stare._

“Of course I do,” Alec answers gently, “Magnus, I haven’t forgotten anything.”

They stop at a red light and silence falls between them. Magnus taps his fingers on the steering wheel, looks like he wants to say something, but only bites his lip.

Alexander clears his throat, turns his head so he’s not looking at the other man’s mouth. “I’m proud of you, is all,” he continues. “I know that probably doesn’t mean much to you, but–.”

“I haven’t forgotten anything either,” Magnus declares suddenly, “unfortunately.” The light turns green and he keeps his eyes on the road. “And it shouldn’t mean anything at all, you being proud of me for something I accomplished,” he mutters, smoothly switching lanes and getting on the highway, “but it does. Mean something, I mean. So, thank you.”

There’s another silence after that, and Alec isn’t sure what to say to break it. So he mumbles a “you’re welcome,” and keeps his mouth shut until they arrive at their destination.

About ten minutes later, they drive through the member entrance of an underground parking deck operated by the club. As they pull into an empty spot, there’s a question burning on Alec’s tongue, and when Magnus turns the car’s engine off, he can’t help himself.

“Are we going to talk about us?” he blurts, looking at the doctor.

Magnus regards him for a moment, and then turns away, undoing his seatbelt. “What is there to talk about?”

“Come on, Magnus,” Alec protests, unbuckling his own belt. He turns his body so he’s facing the driver’s seat, bending a knee to rest it on the seat. “This is difficult for the both of us.”

Magnus snorts, looking at Alexander. “You’re here on orders. This is my _life,_ now in disarray, because of you and your beloved bureau.”

“We’re just trying –.”

“Would you have ever come back here if the FBI didn’t send you?”

The question throws Alexander completely, and his chest tightens. He thinks about it, really thinks, and his mind comes up blank. _Would I have?_ Magnus is looking at him like he regrets asking, but his eyes demand an answer.

Alexander hesitates, and Magnus puts a hand up. “Don’t answer that. We do _not_ have time to get into it right now, and I’m way too sober for it, anyway.” He’s out of the car before Alec can even open his door. “Chop chop, agent, I have a lot of drinking to do.”

_Uh oh._

Alexander steps out of the car, shutting the door firmly. Magnus is already ahead of him, marching toward the sliding doors that lead to the building’s elevators. He locks the car doors, then places the keys in an inside pocket of his suit jacket.

“Um, how about I hold on to those?” Alec suggests once they’re inside.

Magnus hits the button on the wall to call the elevator, and then turns his head, curious look on his face.  
“Hang on to what?”

“Your keys, I’ll hold them for you.”

“Because…?”

Alec rolls his eyes, “Because you just said you’re going to drink. A lot. I don’t want you to lose your keys or something.”

The elevator arrives with a ding. They step inside, and Magnus presses the glowing button marked with a star.

“You don’t have to take care of me, Alexander,” he replies harshly, “I am perfectly capable of handling myself.”

“I am well aware of that, trust me, but Magnus, it _is_ actually my job to keep you safe.” 

“Trust you?” Magnus scoffs, finding his keys and holding them out toward the agent. They dangle between his manicured fingers. “Not sure if that’s possible. But who am I to get between a man and his mission?”

Magnus drops the keys without warning, but Alexander’s arm juts out just in time, catching them in one hand. He makes a fist around the cool metal as they land, and then places them in the front pocket of his jeans. When he looks up, Magnus almost looks impressed.

“Testing me?” Alec asks, trying to lighten the mood.

Magnus only shrugs in response, fixing his already perfect hair with one hand.

If Alec is honest with himself, the cold shoulder routine is starting to get to him. The bitterness in his tone now is such a contrast to the warmth he always felt before, when they were together. His mandatory trip back to DC the year before allowed him to forego the awkwardness that always followed a breakup, the pit in your stomach when you see them again, the pang of seeing them with someone else – someone new.

_Fuck, is Magnus dating?_

Alec doesn’t have time to dwell on that thought too long, because the elevator doors open to what looks like the main floor of the club. From where he stands, Alec can see that the club is a massive warehouse, renovated with modern décor, high ceilings, and black concrete floors. The entire place glows a lustful red, with lights flashing in time with the music. He looks around and notices that there are stairs leading to roped off booths along the walls, out of the way of the large dance floor in the center of the room. The music is so loud he can feel the thumping base of it in his throat.

He also notices that they seem to have come in through a private entrance. The alcove they’re standing in opens up to the main floor, and instead of a mile-long line of people and metal detectors, there is only a single bouncer separating them from the chaos of dancing bodies.

“Welcome to Pandemonium,” Magnus announces proudly, arms spread wide, waltzing toward the bouncer. “It’s my happy place.”

“I thought your tub was your happy place?” Alec quips before he can stop himself.

“It was,” Magnus confirms, tossing him a look before handing the bouncer his ID. Alexander knows the response is a jab at him, but he tries not to think about that.

The bouncer barely glances at Magnus’ card before handing it back with a smile.

“Welcome back, Dr. Bane,” he says, then glances at Alec, eying him suspiciously. “Who’s the new guy?”

“He’s with me,” Magnus assures him, sliding a hand into Alec’s and pulling him closer. Alec shivers at the sudden contact, but plays along, squeezing the other man’s hand and smiling. Magnus continues, “He’s visiting from out of town, I just wanted to show him a good time.”

The bouncer narrows his eyes at Alec, who considers flashing his badge, but after a few seconds, he nods and steps out of the way. Magnus bows in thanks and pulls Alec by the hand straight into the crowd.

“This way!” Magnus shouts above the noise, pulling them toward the booths at the other end of the room. Alexander follows behind blindly, trying to see past the bodies surrounding them.

As they move, Alec tries not to think about how their hands are still clasped together, or how his skin burns in a good way. He tries not to think about the last time they held hands – the night they broke up. He tries not to drown in the regret that threatens to overwhelm him, if he lets it. So, Alec steels himself, tightening his grip on Magnus’ hand so that he doesn’t lose him.

 _Again,_ his mind provides, and he shakes his head. Frustrated in every sense of the word, Alexander does his best to focus on his mission instead of his feelings.

_It’s going to be a long night._


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec meets Magnus' friends.  
> Magnus tries not to die of embarrassment.

Magnus wonders if he should see a cardiologist for the sinus tachycardia he keeps experiencing, because this can’t be normal.

He can feel his heart slamming against his ribs, and he can’t blame it on the EDM currently blasting from the club’s speakers. What possessed him to grab Alec’s hand to get him through security, he still doesn’t know, but it worked, and that’s all that matters, right?

_Wrong! You need SPACE!_

Magnus ignores his scrambled brain, pressing forward through the crowd until he reaches the steps that lead to his favorite booth, with Alexander in tow. The employee standing by the stairs moves to stop them, but Magnus can see his friends from where he stands, although they haven’t noticed him yet. He points at them and is granted entrance, pulling Alexander along with him. They climb a few steps, but then Magnus stops, collecting his thoughts.

Alec bumps into him from behind.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, concern in his voice. _Why does he have to_ do _that?_

Magnus exhales, “I’m just wondering… how we’re going to approach this.”

Alexander makes a face like he’s thinking, crossing his arms as he leans against the handrail. Magnus misses the warmth of his hand immediately. He tries not to think about that.

“Well we talked about it earlier, right? I was supposed to kill my alias, but for the purpose of this mission, becoming Alec Gideon again might work in our favor.” He runs his hands down the front of his dress shirt – a nervous tick, Magnus remembers – before continuing. “I think I’ve met a couple of your friends at least once, or they’ve seen pictures of us, so I can’t just be some random guy. I’ll have to talk to my supervisors about this, but I think it’s our best option. Plus, anyone tracking you will just think your ex is back in town. I won’t seem like a threat, so once I find out who they are, I’ll have the upper hand.”

“Anyone…tracking me. Right.” Magnus has been trying his best for forget about the FBI’s concerns and Alexander’s stupid mission, just for the night, but it looks like he will in fact need alcohol for that to be a possibility.

Alec looks apologetic. “Sorry, I know you didn’t want to talk about it. I’ll try to remember to be less agent, more Alec.”

They’re standing in close proximity due to the size of the stairwell, and Magnus is finding it hard to tear his eyes away from the man in front of him. _Agent Alexander Lightwood._ He can hardly believe he and Alec Gideon are the same person. He wants to hate him, but he can’t. He wants to be furious, but he finds he’s more saddened and scared by this whole ordeal, for too many reasons. He’s not sure how to feel, or how he’s going to manage to handle himself around Alexander in front of his very smart friends, who will for sure know that something’s up.

“What if they don’t buy it?” Magnus asks, because he’s starting to understand the gravity of this situation, and he’s legitimately worried.

Alexander seems to read all of this, and somehow hears his question above the noise that surrounds them.

“Don’t worry, Magnus,” he says simply, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder as he looks him in the eyes, thumb rubbing Magnus’ clavicle. “They’ll buy it. We got this.”

And just like that, Magnus feels lighter. It’s almost like magic, and Magnus would know.

“Okay then,” he states firmly, holding out his hand. Alec looks at his hand, then back up at him, eyebrows raised in question. Magnus continues, “You’re going to be staying in my apartment for the duration of this…case, right? So, clearly, I’ve let you back into my life already. Now I’m just deciding whether or not I should keep you there.” Magnus is painting a picture of their cover story for Alexander, and part of him wonders if all this FBI nonsense is rubbing off on him. He hesitates for a second, then pulls the other man toward him, sliding their hands together. “Might as well play the part. As long as I’m the lead, of course.”

“Of course,” Alec responds, lips tugging into a smile. Magnus remembers when that smile was his favorite thing.

_I need a drink._

“Onward!” Magnus declares, pulling Alec along again. They reach the top of the stairs quickly, and are immediately spotted by Simon, Dot, and Maia. In the corner of the booth, Magnus can see that Jace and Clary, messily making out. _Typical._

“Well look who decided to show up!” Simon exclaims loudly, startling Clary out of her make-out bubble.

“Magnus! You’re here!” she yells excitedly, clearly slightly inebriated. She all but climbs over Jace, who still looks a bit confused, as she scrambles her out of the booth to greet Magnus with an enormous hug.

He lets go of Alec to catch her with a laugh, “ _Oof!_ Good to see you, too!”

“It better be,” she giggles, pulling away. Her eyes move from Magnus to Alexander, then back to Magnus. “Who is _that_?” Clary attempts to whisper, “Did I miss a life update? Ever since I started working upstairs, I miss everything!”

Magnus shakes his head, smiling fondly. Clary Fray always wanted to be in the loop, and Magnus found it endearing. She started her residency with the rest of them, but after her brother rolled in through the Emergency Department doors after a fatal car accident, she needed a change. That happened in first year, so a few years have passed since, but Magnus was there that day, did CPR, multiple rounds of epinephrine, shock after shock to the poor boy’s chest – they tried everything they could to revive him, but nothing worked. He had offered to break the news to her himself; he held her while she cried, even cried with her. It was the first death he saw up close. Since that day, he’s always looked out for Clary. They grew very close, talked about everything, and he valued her friendship immensely. Now she works upstairs on the pediatric unit, which Magnus thinks is a perfect fit. Her bubbly personality and thousand-watt smile compares to none.

That smile, however, is now replaced with a look of confusion, brows knit together in concentration, and Magnus realizes that she probably recognizes Alec from all the pictures on his phone.

_Which he deleted, of course._

_Well, most of them._

“Wait wait wait,” she points to Alexander, “You… I know you from somewhere!” She turns back toward the group, gesturing dramatically to Alec, “Guys, where do I know him from?”

Their questioning eyes move back and forth between the two men. Magnus steps forward, tugging Alexander by the hand, intent on giving them an answer. He glances at Alexander briefly, and he is a picture of calm, clearly familiar with these kinds of scenarios. Meanwhile, Magnus’ palms are sweating. He takes a breath, and feels the agent give his hand a squeeze.

_Here goes nothing._

“Everyone, this is Alec. Some of you may recognize him because –.”

“Alec? As in Alec Gideon?” Maia asks, then looks at Simon and Dot, “The same Alec you guys told me about?”

Simon actually looks amused, to Magnus’ surprise, his signature goofy grin plastered on his face.

“Dude! How could you not tell me you were back with your ex!”

“You guys are back together?” Jace chimes in, “That’s awesome!”

“I still don’t like him,” Dorothea adds, nonchalant, “But I know how much he meant to you, so if you’re happy, I approve.”

“Dot!” Clary chides playfully, “Be nice! Let them be happy!”

_Oh, no._

The last thing Magnus expected was for his friends to just assume he and Alec were back together, without questions. He supposes the story about Alec’s family emergency and their mutual reluctance to do long distance didn’t exactly make Alec look like a bad guy. He kept most of his bitterness to himself, unable to share the truth with anyone. Alexander never asked him to keep his real identity a secret, but even though Magnus was absolutely livid after he flew back to DC, he didn’t want to lose his trust.

He glances at Alec again, who simply shrugs and looks bashful, as if to say, _this is your show._

 _Don’t be cute,_ Magnus mouths, then faces his friends again.

“Guys, guys, we aren’t exactly _together_ together, we’re –.”

“Dating? Like Simon and I have been _dating_ since January?” Maia teases, playing with Simon’s hair, “Because if that’s the case, you’re practically together.”

Simon rolls his eyes, “Babe, come on, you’re the one who said you wanted to take things slow! I just don’t want to overwhelm you!”

“This snail’s pace is adorable, and so are you, so I’ll continue to allow it.” Maia pats Simon on the head and he pouts openly, making everyone laugh.

They’ve barely questioned Alec, or why he’s back, or why he’s suddenly here, and Magnus isn’t sure if he should feel panic or relief.

“I need a drink,” he announces, “Anyone want anything?”

“Clary will have water,” Jace declares, pulling his girlfriend back down to his lap, “and I’ll have another beer, thanks.”

“Don’t listen to him, Magnus, I can handle my liquor!” she shouts, trying and failing to get out of Jace’s hold around her waist.

Magnus chuckles, “Sure you can, biscuit.”

His friends laugh again, and he figures now is a good time to escape before anyone says anything too embarrassing.

“Raph is gonna be super bummed that your ex is back,” Dorothea remarks, as if Magnus doesn’t already know this. As if she isn’t aware that he _doesn’t_ want Alec to know this. She takes a flirtatious sip from her drink, feigning innocence. “The poor thing was DOA, and now he’ll see why.”

“Who’s Raph?” Alec asks, looking from Dot to Magnus, “And why is he… dead on arrival?”

“Ooo, he knows his acronyms,” Dorothea smiles, “I’m impressed.”

“Is someone paying you to torment me, or do you just do it for fun?” Magnus sighs.

“I’m your best friend, it’s my job to make you miserable,” she quips, sending a wink his way.

“I’m getting drinks!” Magnus repeats, grabbing Alec by the hand again and pulling him away from what is threatening to be his demise.

“So, you going to tell me who Raph is? I hope he’s not actually dead,” Alec chuckles as the make their way down the steps and toward the bar. They try to walk around the crowd instead of through it this time.

“He’s not dead. He’s… a friend,” Magnus starts, and Alexander raises a brow at him.

“What kind of friend?”

“Okay, okay, he’s a fling,” Magnus confesses, and he isn’t sure why he feels guilty. It’s not like he cheated or something. “We went out a couple times, enjoyed each other’s company, but it didn’t last.”

“Ah,” Alec replies. They’re walking side by side, and Magnus can tell he’s thinking too much. “Sorry it didn’t work out.”

“Don’t be,” Magnus laughs, trying to lighten the weight suddenly present between them, “It was fun, and we still talk, but he’s just not the soul for me.”

“I get it,” the agent says as they reach the bar. He grabs a menu, flipping through drink options. “I guess I had similar experiences.”

Magnus pauses, turning to face the other man. “Experiences? As in plural?”

Before Alexander can answer him, a familiar voice interjects.

“Hey, gorgeous,” Raphael croons from behind the bar, washing a glass. He’s rolled up the sleeves of his black dress shirt and tucked into a pair of gray slacks. Clearly, he had abandoned his suit jacket for his shift. _Bummer._ “Long time no see. Work keeping you occupied?”

“You have no idea,” Magnus responds, trying to keep his cool.

“Nothing your favorite drink can’t fix.” Raph gets to work mixing Magnus’ signature martini, completing the task in record time and sliding the cocktail glass in front of him with a smile. “This should help.”

“Thank you, bartender,” Magnus smiles back, lifting the glass to his lips. The alcohol is smooth as it goes down his throat, just how he likes it. He downs the whole thing in one go, ignoring the judgmental look he gets from Alec in his peripheral vision. Raphael’s drinks are the only ones Magnus doesn’t feel the need to magically alter to make them taste better. _Nothing wrong with appreciating another man’s hard work._ “It’s perfect, as usual,” he sighs, satisfied. 

Raph winks at him. “Only the best for Dr. Bane.”

He can’t deny his attraction to Raphael, especially when he talks to him like that. The deep base of his voice coupled with his accent is what hooked Magnus at first. The fitted suits and perfect teeth kept him coming. He was always a total gentleman, and wasn’t interested in having sex, which, while surprising, Magnus found somewhat refreshing. After a long shift, he could invite the bartender over to cuddle and watch a movie without any pressure of being persuaded to do more. Raphael made him feel like he was young again, something he hadn’t felt in a while. Raph was safe.

So, of course, Magnus got bored.

Raphael was understanding when he ended things, but their connection – while more emotional than physical – never completely went away. They have a flirtatious friendship, and Magnus doesn’t mind at all.

Alec, however, has his eyes narrowed, and if Magnus didn’t know better, he might ask Alec if he was jealous.

“So,” Raphael smirks, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the bar. He gestures toward Alexander with a tilt of his head, “Who’s the shadow?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I HOPE YOU ENJOYED CHAPTER 6, I cranked it out kind of fast, and now it's 5am, and I have to go to be up and functioning in 7 hours and wow I am a malec trash mess. (I watched the season 2 finale tonight and I'm upset thEre's only one season left for me to enjoy but EXCITED FOR ALL THE MALEC. YEEEEEE!)  
> Please keep commenting! Your thoughts and feelings matter so much to me it's a little ridiculous. 
> 
> As always, thanks for reading! I'll get chapter 7 out before the end of the month. :)  
> XOXO, Edwina


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drinking, dancing, and a little danger.

_Who’s the shadow?_

Alexander freezes at the use of his code name.

It’s subtle, and he would usually call it coincidence – ‘shadow’ isn’t exactly an unfamiliar word – but his instincts tell him there’s more to it this time. He eyes the bartender, who is currently leaning a bit too far into Magnus’ personal space than Alec would like.

“My date,” Magnus says proudly, oblivious. He’s somewhat looser now that he’s had a drink. Always a lightweight, one drink down and he’s already giddy. He looks at Alec, caressing the agent’s face with his hand. The cool metal of the rings on his fingers press lightly against Alec’s skin, a welcome sensation to his heated cheeks. “Isn’t he pretty?”

“Very,” Raphael hums, and Alexander isn’t sure if he should be flattered or offended… or threatened.

“Can I get you anything?” Raphael asks him casually.

“A water and two beers, thanks,” Alec replies curtly.

Raphael chuckles, stepping back from the bar, “Coming right up.”

As soon as the bartender is out of earshot, Alec grabs Magnus by the arm, leaning in close so he can hear him.

“You should go back to the booth,” he suggests, trying to keep his voice light. He needs to figure out who Raphael is, and needs Magnus out of the way in case things get messy.

“I’m fine right here, darling. Plus, I really need another one of those martinis.”

“Magnus, please,” Alec insists, and he knows he sounds tense now, but this is important.

Magnus looks at him, face twisted in confusion, “What’s going on, Alexander?”

“Just –.” Alec pauses, stretching his neck to look for Raphael. The other man is distracted, serving a couple customers at the other end of the bar. He turns back to Magnus and keeps his voice low. “I’ll explain later, just go back to the booth. Tell everyone I’ll be back with drinks.”

“Are you going to do something dangerous?” Magnus whispers, concern in his voice.

Alec shrugs, looking around again. He sees Raphael with beers in hand, headed back toward them. “I don’t know yet, but you need to go. Now.”

Magnus looks like he wants to protest but, thankfully, decides against it. “Whatever, agent. Just don’t forget my martini. Oh, and –.” The shorter man takes a step closer to Alec for a moment, placing a hand on his bicep and squeezing. “Be careful,” he says genuinely. There’s a look in his eyes that Alec can’t place, and it throws him a little.

“I…yeah, always,” he stutters.

Magnus, seemingly satisfied, nods once and then walks away, disappearing into the crowd. Alec’s arm still feels warm from where the doctor’s hand had been.

“Where’d Magnus go?” Raphael asks, bringing Alec back from his thoughts.

_Focus._

“None of your business,” Alec snarls. He looks the bartender in the eyes, slipping comfortably into agent mode. “What I want to know is, who the hell are you?”

“Oh, come now, Shadow, why the hostility?”

Alexander isn’t sure how he does it, but he steps on a bar stool and leaps over the bar in one fluid motion, save for a glass that falls to the floor with a crash, hardly audible over the thumping base of the music playing. Alexander sees a few people turn their heads toward them, probably thinking he’s trying to start a fight. He knows someone is going to call security, so he has to make this quick.

Alec backs Raphael into the wall of shelves behind the bar, hand quickly reaching under his blazer for his gun. He leaves the safety on but presses the barrel of the gun to the bartender’s stomach, discretely keeping it between them.

Raphael’s eyes widen slightly, his hands going up reflexively.

“I will only ask you nicely one more time: who the _hell_ are _you?”_

The bartender actually _smirks,_ “Your reputation precedes you, agent. All work, no play – no wonder you’re such a dull boy.”

_The nerve._

Alec is growing tired of this man’s games and the clock is ticking. _I don’t have time for this._ He turns his safety off and presses the gun roughly against the other man’s ribs.

“If you’re here to hurt Magnus, I swear to God –.”

“Ow! Whoa, whoa, relax, my friend. We’re on the same side here! I’m Raphael Santiago, CIA.”

 _CIA? Why is the CIA is involved? And how did I not know?_ Alec blinks, takes a minuscule step back, and turns the safety back on. “Show me your badge.”

“Sure thing, if you lower your weapon.”

Alec rolls his eyes and puts his gun away, trying not to make it obvious that he’s carrying. Raphael waves off the few coworkers that started to gather, telling them everything is fine. He reaches for a jacket hanging from a rack a few feet to their left. Alec watches him closely, right hand near his back in case the man does something stupid.

Much to Alec’s surprise, Raphael pulls out a legitimate badge from the breast pocket of the jacket, flashing it just long enough for Alec to see it. He stuffs it back in his jacket before anyone else notices their awkward exchange. The club looks to be at full capacity; everyone seems too occupied to even notice them now.

“Why the fuck is the CIA on this? I thought it was an FBI case?”

“It is now,” Raphael scoffs, “The FBI took the case from us last month when they decided Magnus was in actual danger. Their asset, their case.”

Alexander shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. _What?_ “Hold on, so you’re telling me this was originally a CIA operation?”

“Precisely,” Raphael states, hanging his jacket back up neatly. “I’m sure you can ask your supervisors about it, but I’m surprised they didn’t mention it. Now, can I get back to work?”

“Wait, if it’s an FBI case now, why does it look like you’re still on it? And how do you know who I am?”

Raphael sighs and looks at his watch, clearly impatient. “Part of the deal when we gave up the operation was that the FBI would keep us in the loop. They sent me in to gather intel at first, but now I’m just a pair of eyes and ears in case your people get selfish. Plus, I’m close to the POI.”

“You’re close with Magnus?” Alec can’t help his curiosity, or his jealousy, but he tries to keep his feelings in check. “How close?”

“Clearly not close enough,” Raphael answers, “Which is why they sent you in, I presume.”

Alec raises a questioning eyebrow.

Raphael sighs, “When I heard they were sending you in, I looked you up. Only got your code name, but that got me all I needed. You fell for a civilian who happens to be an FBI asset, and _maybe_ even a magician. You know him, so they’re using you.”

Alec clenches his fists, “You don’t know anything,” he grits out.

“I know enough,” Raphael smirks, “I see why you fell for him. I almost did, too. He’s a real charmer. Lucky for me, he didn’t feel the same. But you,” Raphael emphasizes the word with a poke to Alec’s chest, “You, he likes.”

Alec swats the other man’s hand away. “How do you know that? He hated me when I left.”

“We’re the CIA. We know everything. Well, only if we’re looking.”

Alec ponders that for a moment. It actually makes sense. The CIA gathers intelligence. If they were trying to find out if Magnus is a magician, they’d be tracking is bank accounts, his phone logs, his emails – everything.

“How can I get the information you have?”

“You can’t. Everything relevant was sent over to the FBI. Everything else is classified.”

“Dammit,” Alec curses, he should have known. “So you guys sent us the pictures?”

“Yup. They’re halfway decent, too, but we analyzed them. It’s not one of us. But seriously, I’m losing tips, and I’m sure your friends are wondering where you are.”

As much as he doesn’t want to admit it, Raphael is right. He has to get back to Magnus. And everyone else, of course.

“Here,” Raph says, grabbing a couple beers and a bottled water from the fridge and a martini from somewhere behind him. He hands them to Alec, who struggles to carry it all. Raphael shows no sympathy. “On the house, for your troubles. Now, if you don’t mind, get your ass back behind the bar.”

Alec opts for the swinging door this time instead of attempting to jump back over into the row of club-goers. As he carefully walks around the crowd, he makes a mental note to call Luke once they’re out of here and confirm Raphael’s story. It sounds plausible, but he has to be sure.

_How could the bureau not tell me about this?_

He finds his way back to the booths and climbs up the stairs to where Magnus and his friends are sitting and conversing.

Magnus spots him first, and his eyes light up. “You got my martini!” He stands and jogs toward Alec, grabbing the glass and the water bottle once he reaches him. Then, he does something Alec doesn’t expect.

Magnus lifts himself on his toes and presses his lips to Alec’s cheek.

“Thank you, darling,” he says with a smile, then turns and walks back to the table, handing a giggling Clary the water bottle.

“Beer for me?” Jace asks. Alec looks down and remembers he still has two beers in his hands.

“Oh, right, here ya go, man.” He takes a few step toward forward, then slides the bottle a short distance across the table to Jace, who catches it effortlessly. He looks at Magnus, who scooches over in the booth and pats the seat next to him. Alec sits, cracking open his own beer with Magnus’ keys before stuffing them back in his jean pocket.

“Did you get lost or something?” Simon teases, “You were gone for like 25 minutes!”

“Busy bar,” Alec shrugs, glancing at Magnus for support. The last things he needs are Magnus’ friends getting suspicious.

“You should have seen the line,” Magnus starts dramatically, hand gestures and all, “It went on for miles, so Alec, being the gentleman that he is, told me to come back so I didn’t have to endure that kind of torture.”

“I thought he’d just run off again,” sasses Dorothea, and Alec can tell she isn’t really joking, even though everyone seems to find her comment hilarious.

_It’s probably the alcohol._

“Too soon, Dot!” Maia objects, hitting her playfully on the arm with a laugh.

Dorothea shrugs, “I mean I’m glad that’s not the case, of course!”

“Of course,” Magnus grins, “Thanks, best friend.”

“You’re so welcome,” she sings, blowing him a kiss. Magnus makes a show of catching it and putting it in his pocket.

Alec isn’t sure how to feel about that. He has no right to be jealous, he knows that, but he can almost feel himself turning green.

After about half an hour more of drinking, talking, and laughing, Clary suggests they go to the dance floor. Everyone agrees, leaving their drinks and jackets behind and running out of the booth with way too much enthusiasm for Alec’s sober brain to keep up with. They make their way down the stairs and through the crowd and the agent finds himself squished between glistening, sweaty bodies. Everyone’s hands are up, moving in time with the beat. He’s a bit overwhelmed, the loud music and flashing lights a contrast to his norm, but then a slightly drunk, very _hot_ Magnus appears in front of him. Magnus throws his arms around Alec’s neck like they belong there, and Alec isn’t really sure how to react.

“Uh, hi,” he huffs, trying to catch his breath. Magnus looked magnificent before, but now, with the sleeves of his silk shirt rolled up to his elbows, his hair falling into his face, the scent of his shampoo filling Alec’s senses, his body so close… The man looks like a dream.

“You have _got_ to loosen up a little, agent,” Magnus cajoles, speaking into his ear, voice low and deep.

 _I’ve got to get a grip,_ Alec thinks, mentally straining to quell his libido.

“You deserve a night off, too.”

Alec chuckles nervously. He’s very tempted to pull Magnus is closer, breathe in all of him, dance the night away like they used to… but he’s on assignment. He can’t let himself get distracted. _Can I?_

“I can’t exactly take vacation time in the middle of a case, Mags.” The nickname slips out accidentally, falling too easily off his tongue, and Alec squeezes his eyes shut. “Sorry, Magnus.”

When he opens his eyes, there’s a finger to his lips as the doctor stares at him openly.

“Shh, don’t be sorry, Alec,” Magnus drawls, moving his arms to adjust his grip around the taller man’s neck, forcing the agent’s eyes back to his own. “I always liked it when you called me that.”

“But the last time –.”

“Let’s not think about that tonight. Please? Can you do that for me?” 

And how is Alec supposed to deny Magnus anything when he’s looking at him like _that,_ with eyes alight like he’s looking right through to his soul; like Alec is the only other person in the room?

_Maybe it’s okay to give in, just a little._

“Of course, Magnus.”

Alec knows this moment is temporary, knows Magnus is drunk, knows he has a mission, knows he should be calling his supervisors about Raphael, but he allows himself permission to enjoy it. He lets himself just _be_ with Magnus, chest to chest, and tries to pretend that they’re just two people, having fun – that he’s simply at the club, dancing with a man he’s still madly in love with.

_Yikes._

Alec stiffens at this realization, and Magnus notices immediately, as in tune with his moods as he’s always been.

“Relax, darling,” Magnus moves his hands to massage his shoulders gently. He puts pressure in all the right spots, and Alec finds it difficult not to melt right there. _Damn doctor’s hands._ “Everything’s fine. I’m safe with you, aren’t I?”

“Allegedly,” Alec states, smiling.

Magnus smirks and opens his mouth to respond, but a base-heavy pop ballad starts playing then, and shouts of approval are heard throughout the crowd. The already packed dancefloor gets even tighter and more people get up to start dancing, and Alec is pressed impossibly closer to Magnus.

“I love this song!” Magnus exclaims, jumping up and down a few times with excitement, and if that’s not the most adorable thing Alec has seen in ages, he’s not sure what is.

Maia, Simon, and Dot are all dancing in a circle, rocking their hips and bobbing their heads to the song. Clary is standing in front of Jace, and he has a hand on her waist, keeping her close as they move together. Magnus and Alec are squeezed between them, swaying to the music. It’s awkward at first, but Magnus looks blissful, throwing his head back to sing at times, making Alec laugh. He takes comfort in the fact that, in Alec’s arms, the doctor truly is safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THE PLOT THICKENS, a little.  
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It came to me pretty quickly. I tried to keep it Malec-centric, although the other characters will hopefully all have a relevant part in the story. As always, let me know what you think and what your theories are! I love love love reading your comments. I already started the next chapter, so it should be up by next week! (:
> 
> xoxo, Edwina


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night continues, Magnus has a lot of feelings, and the alcohol isn’t helping.

The rest of the night is a bit of a blur.

Magnus isn’t blackout drunk, but he’s drunk enough that he doesn’t care too much about anything, as long as he feels good, and right now, he feels _very_ good.

(If he used a little magic to make his drinks stronger, what’s the harm?)

Magnus is aware that he is dancing with Alexander in the middle of his favorite club. He knows the club is packed, his friends are plastered (except for maybe Jace, since he’s driving Clary home), the music is good, and he doesn’t have to work tomorrow. He also knows that Alexander is his ex, he knows he still has feelings for him despite the fact that their entire relationship was based on a lie, and he knows that Alexander is with him right now because Magnus is probably in danger. What he doesn’t know yet is why, but he’s drunk, so he isn’t too concerned with that at the moment. He’s more interested in the man currently dancing in front of him, and how it feels to be so close to him again after so long.

It’s exhilarating.

“Do you want another drink?” Magnus hears Alexander yell into his ear in between songs. They’re standing so close, he’s pretty sure they’re mixing sweat. _Always a gentleman. Damn him._

“Don’t you move,” Magnus warns playfully, “I just want to stay here with you.”

Alec obeys, pulling Magnus in just a fraction closer by his hips as they continue to dance. His pink lips curve upward in a flirty smile, and it’s enough to make Magnus swoon.

_God, I wanna kiss him._

Magnus acknowledges the thought, thinks about going for it, thinks about throwing caution to the wind and giving his heart what it wants, but then the song ends, and Jace decides to take Clary home, so all his friends head out as well. Alexander follows suit, dragging Magnus along by the hand. After gathering their things from the booth, they all take the elevator down to the private parking deck, talking and laughing excitedly despite their fatigue. Simon catches his eye at one point and winks, glancing at Alec with an expression of approval. Alec is standing behind Magnus chatting with Jace, and when the elevator stops, he realizes that there’s a steady warm pressure on the small of his back. Alec’s hand rests there as they say their goodbyes, and it takes everything Magnus has not to snuggle up to the agent’s side to keep as much of their body’s touching as physically possible. The closeness is almost as strong at the alcohol – warm, inviting, _addictive_ – and as they walk away from his friends, Magnus feels like he’s floating.

…

“Dorothea doesn’t like me, does she?”

They’re in the car, with Alexander at the wheel. He drives comfortably with one hand, left arm resting against the window frame. The GPS guides them to Magnus’ apartment and Alec glances at the screen intermittently, it’s audio set to off. Alec operates Charlotte like he’s driven her a hundred times, and the doctor finds it extremely attractive. Magnus is enjoying the view when he hears the other man’s question.

“Is it obvious?” Magnus chuckles, remembering some of Dot’s comments that night. “Don’t pay her any mind, pettiness is in her nature.”

“But everyone else seemed fine with me, happy even,” Alec continues, “What is it that she doesn’t like?”

“Probably that we’re back together,” Magnus replies, then realizes what he said, “Uh, I mean, she thinks we’re together.”

“Right…” Alec adjusts his grip on the steering wheel, eyes ahead. “But I feel like there’s more to it.”

 _He’s never going to let this go, is he?_ Magnus thinks, _Damn FBI training._

“Alright, alright, beat it out of me, why dontcha,” he sighs. “Dorothea and I dated after you left.”

Alec is silent for a few seconds. Then, “How long after?”

“The FBI has really groomed you be an excellent interrogator, haven’t they?”

Alexander huffs a laugh, licks his lips. “You have no idea.”

There’s innuendo in his tone, and Magnus finds it thrilling. The alcohol makes it very hard for him to take anything Alec says seriously, so he might as well have his fun.

“Well, well, agent, why don’t you show me your ways?”

Alec shakes his head, but Magnus can see him smirking. He bites his bottom lip, and Magnus resists the urge to reach across the seat and rub his thumb along his mouth to release it.

“You still haven’t answered my question, Magnus,” Alec persists.

Magnus considers telling Alec the truth – that he and Dot and have always been close, since their first day of residency together, attracted to each other but too busy to date. They had an undeniable bond, one that everyone could see and neither of them cared to question. It felt as if they had known each other for centuries, so it was no wonder they became best friends. When Alec left, Magnus was a mess, and leaned on Dot for comfort and support. One thing led to another, and they ended up sleeping together. Multiple times. She was, essentially, his rebound. It worked for a few months, but eventually Magnus realized he was being unfair, since his heart still belonged to Alec. Dot understood that and refused to let a three-month fling ruin three years of friendship. Their group of friends found out about the short affair, but everyone left it alone, like it never even happened.

Some things in life are just better that way.

Magnus would leave out some details when he told Alec all of this, but first, he had his own questions.

“What happened with Raph?”

“Who?” Alec replies coolly. Magnus frowns and hits him in the arm. “Hey, I’m driving!”

“You know who I’m talking about,” Magnus counters, “Raphael? Hot bartender? I know when you sent me away, it had to have something to do with him.”

“You think he’s hot?”

Magnus rolls his eyes, “He’s objectively attractive, Alexander, you can’t possibly disagree.”

Alec scoffs, “Sure, if I were drunk, maybe.”

“Uh huh. In any case, he clearly got under your skin. Care to share what happened?”

Alexander looks hesitant; they’re at a red light and he shifts in his seat, adjusts the rearview mirror, and puts both hands on the wheel. He looks sideways at Magnus for a second, but then the light turns green.

“It’s about the mission,” he says plainly, eyes on the road.

Magnus’ heart sinks a little. He had assumed, selfishly, that it was about jealousy. He thought maybe Alec didn’t like how Raphael was talking to him, didn’t like how openly he flirted with him, so he wanted to have a little chat with the man, maybe tell him to stay away from Magnus. He imagined this so vividly he rejected the possibility that it was actually related to the mission. When he had asked Alec, back at the bar, if he was going to do something dangerous, told him to be careful, he figured he had nothing to really worry about. He assumed Alexander was simply being dramatic, but it all made sense now.

Alexander was first and foremost an FBI agent. He couldn’t turn it off.

“You look disappointed,” Alec’s voice cuts through the silence growing between them. “I know you probably don’t want to talk about anything FBI-related until later today –.”

“You’re right, I don’t,” Magnus replies bitterly. He hates feeling this way, but the alcohol in his veins is making it hard for him to keep his emotions in check. It also makes it difficult for him to keep his mouth shut. “I will tell you more about Dot, though, if you still want to know.”

“Magnus, we don’t have to –.”

“Oh, but you were so curious! I don’t think a whole month went by before we ended up in bed together. Nothing too serious, but it was amazing while it lasted. Women truly are something else, lovely things. Amazing listeners, too, I told her so much. Alas, we valued our friendship more than our affair, so we ended it after a few months.”

Magnus knows he’s being vile, but he’s _annoyed_. He’s pushing Alexander, wants to see how he reacts when the not-so-pleasant truth is thrown in his face, hoping the agent’s mask will slip off, just a little.

Alec is tense, hands gripping the wheel with more force than necessary, eyes still laser-focused on the road. 

“So, you told her who I am?” Alec asks cautiously, and he doesn’t sound angry. He sounds… worried. “Is that why she doesn’t like me?”

For someone so smart and talented, Alexander could be extremely dense. Once upon a time, Magnus found it adorable, but now, it frustrated him to no end. Clearly, he’s going to have to spell this one out for Alec.

“No. Never fear, _agent,_ I didn’t tell your dirty little secret to anyone. Dorothea doesn’t like you because you _broke my heart._ ”

“Oh.”

_Oh. Oh?_

That’s all Alec says, like he really couldn’t figure it out, like he’s surprised by this. Magnus isn’t sure how he feels now, bitterness replaced by something heavier and less familiar, but he can’t put his finger on it. Silence falls between them again, uncomfortable tension filling the vehicle. When they reach the parking lot of Magnus’ apartment, the doctor is itching to get out of the car, but when Alec puts the car in park, his body stays glued to the seat.

Alexander doesn’t move either. He turns the car's engine off and leans back, sinking into the leather with a huff.

They stay this why for a few minutes, time slowing and stretching to what feels like hours. Magnus blames the alcohol. He keeps his eyes on the man opposite him, searching his features for anything that might help him understand what’s going on in the agent’s head, but he finds nothing.

Until finally, Alexander speaks. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, eyes downcast.

“For?” Magnus asks, almost subconsciously.

“For… for all of this,” Alec exhales, “It’s not fair to you. Not then, and not now. I…” He looks up, sad brown eyes meeting hazel, “I hurt you, when all you ever did was care about me and trust me and… I shouldn’t have led you on for all that time, pretending to be someone else, but you were so good to me, and I fell for you. But that doesn’t matter now, because I hurt you, and I will never forgive myself for that.”

Magnus blinks, still unsure how to feel. It’s an apology. His ex is apologizing to him, so he should feel…relief? Mercy? Heartache? Longing? _Are we seriously having this conversation right now?_ He’s in no state of mind to handle this logically. He can hear the blood rushing through his carotid arteries, heart rate picking up just enough to make him feel woozy.

_Not again._

“I don’t …I need…,” he shakes his head, trying to regain composure.

“Magnus, are you okay?” Alec’s voice is filled with concern, and he places a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I just… I think I need some air,” Magnus concludes, reaching for the door latch. He finds it and almost falls out of the car, legs like noodles underneath him. He holds on to the car for support, closing the passenger side door and leaning against it. He holds himself upright with his arms extended, head hanging between them as he takes long, deep breaths. _Okay, maybe I made those drinks a little too strong._

He can hear the driver side door open and close as Alexander takes urgent steps toward him. The car keys jingle in his pocket until he’s right next to Magnus, a strong hand rubbing his back.

“What can I do?” Alexander asks softly, and isn’t that the million-dollar question? _You can turn back time,_ Magnus thinks, _and choose me instead of your job. You can stop being so infuriatingly caring, and kind, and perfect, you can keep your hands away from me unless you promise to never let go, you can find out whoever is stalking me and save the day and stay here with me when it’s over, you can stay this time, you can –.”_

“Magnus, we need to get inside,” the agent commands suddenly. 

The tone in Alec’s voice makes Magnus worry. He looks up, “What?”

Alec is still standing close to Magnus, but his eyes are trained on something in the distance. Magnus turns his head and squints to see a car, lights low, idling on the other side of the parking lot. It’s a black SUV, unmarked, with out-of-state plates. Magnus can feel his heartrate increase.

“Alexander, is that…?”

“I don’t know, but it’s suspicious as hell. We need to move.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't wait to post another chapter -- I keep coming up with plot points and twists in my head, I'm really happy with how this story is coming together so far!  
> FYI, I started writing my Star Trek fic again, so new chapters may take about 2 weeks now, but I still plan on keeping up with this with the same amount of passion!  
> As always, thank you for reading. Love reading your thoughts in the comments!  
> xo, Edwina


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fear, trust, and confessions.

Alec’s instincts are telling him to run.

Not for himself — he’s already thought of three different ways to disable the SUV, or the driver, should he need to. If it were for himself, he’d stand his ground, daring the driver to speed into him, knowing his bullets are faster than the car, and he never misses.

But no, his instincts are telling him to run in order to keep Magnus safe. So, he listens.

“We have to go, _now,_ ” Alec warns, grabbing Magnus by the arm.

“Okay, okay,” Magnus nods, standing up straight. He looks at Alec, fear in his eyes, and Alec wants nothing more than to take that fear away.

“We’re gonna be fine, just follow me,” Alec commands, pulling Magnus along by the hand. Instead of taking the direct route to the apartment entrance, Alec leads them through the cars in the lot, zigzagging and keeping their heads low, just in case.

“The…the car is moving,” Magnus whispers when they reach the edge of the lot. He’s close enough that Alec can feel his breath against his neck, coming out in quick puffs. With their hands are still clasped together, Alec can tell Magnus’ palms are sweating. He’s nervous, holding onto Alec like his life depends on it.

Alec realizes then that it very well might.

Magnus is right, though – the SUV’s lights are still low, but it slowly creeps around the lot, as if it’s following them. It’s still too far for Alec to see who’s driving; it’s dark, and the windows are heavily tinted. _Typical._ The building’s entrance is a good 20 yards away from where they stand, hidden behind a blue sedan. The black SUV looms about 100 feet to their left, Alec would say. He already knows what he’s going to do, he’s just not sure if Magnus will go for it.

He turns toward the doctor, places his hands on both his shoulders. “Okay, Magnus,” he starts, “I have a plan, but you’re not gonna like it.”

“Alexander, I don’t like any of this,” he retorts, “I think we should call the police!”

“In your case, I am the police,” Alec reminds him. “Besides, by the time they got here, this guy would be long gone. Now listen to me,” Alec pauses to look the other man in the eyes, trying to convey just how serious this situation is. “When I tell you to, I need you to run as fast as you can into the building.”

“Okay, sounds reasonable enough. Now what about you?”

Alec opens his mouth to speak, but the SUV’s headlights switch on then, shining brightly and casting shadows across the lot. Alec immediately pulls them both down so they’re out of view, causing Magnus to let out a yelp.

“Sorry,” Alec whispers, then continues, “I’m gonna hold them off in case they decided to do something stupid.”

“Like drive straight into us?”

“That’s one possibility.”

Magnus shakes his head vigorously, “Alexander, no. I’m not leaving you out here with a possible psycho!”

“Magnus, I’ll be fine.”

“You don’t know that!”

“Magnus, it’s my _job_ to keep you safe, okay? You’re _my_ responsibility, and I refuse to let anything happen to you!”

He doesn’t mean to yell, but he needs Magnus to get on board. From where they’re crouching behind the sedan, they’re sitting ducks. Alec needs to get Magnus indoors _yesterday,_ and he’s worried they’re running out of time.

“Promise me,” Magnus frets. There’s something like desperation in his tone, in the way he looks Alec in the eyes, and Alec isn’t quite sure what to do with it. “Promise me you’ll be fine.”

“I promise, we will both be fine. I just need you to trust me.”

Magnus closes his eyes for a moment, exhales through his nose, then nods.

“I trust you,” he breathes.

Alec feels the weight of those words in his chest, a warm sensation settling in his gut. He can see both hesitation and sincerity in the doctor’s eyes, and knows he feels the same things. A year ago, Alec lost Magnus’ trust, and it tore him apart inside. He decides, right then, that he won’t let that happen again.

“You’re going to run, and I’m going to cover you,” Alec instructs, peeking behind the sedan’s trunk. He hopes to catch sight of the driver, but he can’t see anything with the headlights still on.

“Dammit,” he curses. He would rather not put a bullet in a person he can’t see, if he can help it, but it seems he may not have a choice. Alec pulls the gun out of his ankle holster and turns the safety off in one quick movement, then looks at Magnus again.

Magnus looks terrified but adjusts his position on the ground so that he’s ready to run. Alec can tell he’s shaking, but he’s trying his best to stay calm. He’s seen countless civilians like this, on countless missions, it’s to be expected, but he’s never seen _Magnus_ this way – smart, confident, borderline arrogant Magnus, _his_ Magnus – and it makes his heart hurt.

_Less feelings, more actions._

“Okay, Magnus, are you ready?”

The other man swallows, then nods, “Yeah, I’m ready.”

Alec can tell he’s about to lose his nerve. They need to act now.

The agent brings his gun up to his chest with both hands, and takes a slow, deep breath. He clears his mind of everything except the goal – _get Magnus inside safely._ He feels centered, calm –

ready.

Alexander jumps to his feet, gun pointed at the SUV. “Now!” he yells to Magnus, who takes off in a sprint across the open pavement between the building and the parking lot. As suspected, the SUV slams the gas pedal, headed straight for him. Alec doesn’t really think as much as he relies on his training, and immediately shoots at the vehicle’s tires, two shots a piece. One tire blows immediately, causing the SUV to swerve away from Magnus, but toward Alec himself. He brings the gun up and shoots into the windshield, multiple rounds, but the car doesn’t stop. He has about four seconds until impact, tries to use half a second to catch a glimpse of the driver through the shattered windshield, but what he sees, or rather _doesn’t_ see, catches him by surprise.

_There’s no driver?_

“Alec, no!”

At the sound of his name, Alec leaps out of the way of the SUV barreling toward him, doing an unceremonious tuck-and-roll onto the pavement and covering his head. He hears the impact of the vehicle slamming into the nearest lamppost a second later, feels some of the debris fly over his body. When pieces of metal stop hitting the ground, he figures he’s safe to uncover his face and look at the damage. He tries to sit up, but he’s stiff; he came down hard on his shoulder when he landed. With a grunt, he pushes himself upright, right hand coming up to grip his left shoulder and keep the joint still. He coughs a few times, the fumes from the car reaching his throat.

“Alexander!” There are footsteps running toward him, and Alec turns to see Magnus – _safe, alive –_ dropping to his knees next to him. “Oh my God, Alexander, are you okay?”

Alec is so grateful to see that Magnus is okay, he almost forgets that they may still be in danger. Almost.

“Magnus, you – ow – need to stay inside!”

He shakes his head, “Not without you!”

Alec groans, attempts to stand using only his legs. Magnus has to help him to his feet, and they jog back into the apartment. Once they’re inside, Magnus sits him down on one of the leather couches in the empty lobby, and Alec winces; his shoulder _really_ hurts, he must be out of shape.

Magnus drags a chair over from the corner of the room and places it opposite of Alexander, so he can sit in front of the agent.

“Magnus, what are you –?”

“Hush,” is all Alec gets in response, so he shuts his mouth. He recognizes this Magnus, this _Dr. Bane,_ looking Alec over, tilting his face and checking for injuries, and knows better than to interrupt him. He remembers this, how Magnus gets whenever anyone he cares about gets hurt in any way. No use in arguing with the doctor when he gets like this, it’s better to just let him see for himself.

As Magnus continues his ministrations, Alec takes a minute to breathe, and think. He has so many questions, so many concerns, possible new leads, and he has to call Luke and Agent Fairchild, update them on what happened, make sure it’s dealt with quietly. He needs to do more surveillance and find out who came after them tonight. _Is his cover blown? Are they safe in the lobby? Was someone remotely operating that vehicle? How did –?_

“Ouch, fuck!” There’s a sudden burst of excruciating pain in Alec’s left shoulder, and Magnus looks like he just broke something, hands pulled back in a placating gesture.

“Oh no, sorry, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you, Alexander –.”

“It’s okay, I’m fine,” he sighs, waving with his good hand. “What were you trying to do?”

“Nothing, just…” Magnus hesitates, looks down at his hands, flexing and extending his fingers repeatedly. He stays that way for a half a minute, and when he looks back up at Alec, his eyes are wet.

“Magnus?” Alexander immediately reaches forward, placing a hand on the other man’s knee, rubbing it gently with his palm. “What’s wrong?”

A hollow laugh escapes Magnus, “What’s wrong? Alexander, you do realize that we almost died just now?”

_A fair assessment._

“Well, yeah, but we didn’t,” he assures, “We’re okay, Magnus.”

Magnus shakes his head, squeezing his eyes shut again, like Alexander doesn’t understand. A tear runs down his cheek, and Alec can’t help but cradle the doctor’s face, using the pad of his thumb to wipe it away. The movement steadies Magnus in a way, and he opens his eyes again. Alec reads Magnus like a book, sees a deep sadness there, and fear, and… _longing?_

“Oh, Alexander,” Magnus whispers, placing a hand on the agent’s forearm. He leans into the other man’s touch, then turns his head to place a featherlight kiss on Alec’s wrist, let’s his lips linger on the sensitive skin there. The sensation sends a spark through the agent’s entire body, and his breath catches. He’s frozen in place, watching Magnus’ mouth as he speaks again.

“When I saw that car coming toward you I… I thought that was it, I thought you were dead,” he heaves, breath hot against the skin of Alec’s arm. “I couldn’t… I can’t bear the thought of losing you, Alexander…not again.” 

Magnus’ voice breaks on the last part of his sentence, and in that moment, whatever veil Alec held up to conceal his own emotions falls completely.

Before he can talk himself out of it, before his head runs interference for his heart, before his own fear can stop him, Alec surges forward to catch Magnus’ lips in a kiss. The feeling is electric, and after a second of hesitation, Magnus reciprocates the gesture. They kiss repeatedly, deeply, and at some point, Magnus _whimpers,_ and Alexander thinks he might lose it. He’s not sure exactly how he does it with the pain in his shoulder, but he pulls Magnus up from the chair and onto his lap so that the doctor is straddling Alec on the couch. Their kisses are hungry, faces and bodies pressed together, and Alec’s head is spinning. His arms wrap around Magnus’ torso, and Magnus has his hands on both sides of Alec’s neck, and Alec is pretty sure there are tears on both their faces. This is all too much, but still somehow _not enough_ , and he’s hit in the chest with the realization that he’s _kissing Magnus._ He’s kissing his ex – the man he never forgot about, the man he missed every day, the man he thought he’d never have the chance to kiss again – and he never wants to stop.

“I can’t either,” Alexander pants as their kisses slow down. Magnus presses their lips together again, then pulls away minutely, just enough to look at Alec’s face.

“You… what?” he breathes, like he doesn’t believe it, and Alexander hates himself for ever making Magnus doubt how much he means to him.

“I can’t bear the thought of losing you either, Magnus,” he clarifies, trying to keep is voice steady. There’s a crack in his heart now, and he was afraid this would happen, but there’s no point in fighting it now, not with Magnus right here in front of him. “I won’t. Not again. I… You were never just a mission to me.”

His eyes meet Magnus’ then, so he can really see Alec, so he knows he’s telling the truth, even if he’s rambling. “I tried to tell myself the job was everything to me, but by the time I left, I knew… it was you...it is you.”

Magnus blinks, clearly still not understanding. “Alexander, what are you saying?”

“It’s you,” Alec repeats, firmly this time. “ _You’re_ everything to me, Magnus.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DID YOU ENJOY ALL THE FEELS?!  
> As a reader, I love climactic chapters like this, so I hope I did it justice! Please let me know what you thought -- i'm a little worried this happened too early, but i felt like this was the right series of events for it, ya know? Obviously things for malec are still pretty complicated though so we'll see how it plays out.  
> Thanks for reading and commenting, y'all are the BEST.  
> xo, Edwina


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (E)motions, (the) mission, and magic.

Magnus isn’t sure if this is a dream or a nightmare, but there is no way this is his life.

_You’re everything to me._

He hadn’t dared even dream that he would hear anything close to those words from Alexander, the hope of it too devastating. Now, though, he’s literally _on top_ of the man, their faces mere inches apart, and he still cannot believe this is really happening. The air all around them is charged, tense, and he’s afraid they might both spontaneously combust if he doesn’t respond soon.

“Well,” Magnus breathes, “It seems all you needed was a near-death experience to come to your senses, huh?”

He knows that now is _not_ the time for jokes, understands just how serious this situation is, knows they should probably get out of the lobby and figure out what the hell to do next, but Alexander laughs, and it’s such a beautiful sound that Magnus decides the stupid joke is worth it.

“Looks that way,” Alec huffs, smiling.

Magnus just looks at him fondly, running the back of his fingers down the side of his face. There are small, shallow cuts on his skin that will soon become bruises, but besides the shoulder injury, Alexander is overall unharmed. That realization calms Magnus somewhat, and he can feel his heart rate slowing. They sit together in silence for a minute, before Alexander seems to snap back to reality, glancing behind Magnus toward the lobby doors.

“We should get upstairs,” he says warily, moving his hands to Magnus’ hips, patting at him. “I don’t think we’re safe right here. I need to make a few calls, check the security feeds.”

Magnus, reluctantly, lifts himself off of the agent, then holds out his hand to help Alec stand.

“Security feeds?” Magnus asks.

“Yeah, remember when I said I put up some cameras? I also tapped into the feeds of existing cameras in places that you frequent. Standard surveillance protocol.”

Magnus blinks, trying not to look shocked. “Of course.”

Once they’re both upright, they head for the elevators, Alec looking around for what Magnus assumes are possible remaining threats. They’re still holding hands when they step inside the elevator and Alec’s grip is tight, one hand holding his gun, the other keeping Magnus close. Magnus knows, logically, that he’s being protective because it’s literally in his job description, but now, knowing how important he is to the agent, it's hard not to get carried away by the feeling. Magnus also knows that they still have a _lot_ to discuss, about the case, about their relationship, about everything that just happened, about what it all means – oh, and, Alec will probably have questions after Magnus magically fixes his shoulder.

He’d tried to earlier, while they were sitting in the lobby, and Alec seemed lost in thought, distracted, but Magnus rushed and messed up, hurting Alec in the process. He hates to see his former lover in pain, even after all this time. Even when he thought he hated Alexander, he never once wished any harm upon him.

When they reach the apartment, Magnus moves to step into his foyer, but Alec stops him after a few steps, pulling him back. Magnus raises a brow at the agent, confused.

“I’m gonna do a sweep,” he says quietly, letting go of Magnus’ hand to lift his gun to his chest. The elevator doors close behind them and Alec takes a look around, glancing high and low, taking slow steps as he advances into the apartment. When he reaches the living room, he points the gun around the corner before taking another step. He looks back briefly, eyes on Magnus.

“Wait here,” he orders, before continuing through the apartment.

Magnus obeys, playing with the rings on his fingers nervously. He wants to relax, wants to roll his eyes and tell Alexander that he’s overreacting, but he has no idea what to expect now. He’s clearly legitimately unsafe, and now that he’s pretty much completely sober, he can feel the panic starting to set back in.

“Alexander?” Magnus calls nervously, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. It’s hard not to go looking for the other man when he was told to stay put. He doesn’t even want to _think_ about the possibility of someone getting into his apartment, waiting to –

“Hey,” Alec rounds the corner from the kitchen, both guns in his hands, “All clear.”

Magnus releases an audible breath, hand over his heart.

Alec doesn’t notice, placing his guns on the coffee table along with his badge. He walks behind the couch to glance past the curtains hanging in front of the French doors that lead to the balcony. He tests the handles, frowning when the doors open easily.

“Mags, you’ve _got_ to lock these,” he scolds, sounding more concerned than upset. He closes the doors, locking them this time and testing them again. “I know people always think they’re safe when they’re on a higher floor of a building, but it’s not hard to drop down from the roof onto a balcony. I’ve done it a hundred times.”

Magnus is listening, he even noticed the casual use of his nickname, and he wants to smile, wants to walk into his living room, take off his suit jacket, sit down, _move –_ but he can’t get his body to listen to his brain; he’s frozen.

Alec turns around then, and they lock eyes for a moment, and the panic he feels must be written all over his face, because Alec looks at him like he’s some sort of baby bird, and he _hates_ this, this helpless feeling, but he can’t exactly help it.

“I… I think…um,” Magnus stutters as Alec jogs toward him, worried look on his face. “I think I may be having a, uh, panic attack?”

Alexander reaches for him and he flinches, unwillingly.

“S-sorry,” he mutters, squeezing his eyes shut. He takes a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself.

“Magnus, it’s okay,” he coaxes, holding his hands out to the doctor. “Right now, you’re safe. Come on, let’s go sit down.”

Magnus opens his eyes to find Alexander looking at him, brown eyes filled with warmth, care, and concern, and he can already feel his respiration rate returning to normal. He nods, letting Alec take his hands and lead him to the couch.

“I’m gonna get us some water,” he says gently, letting go of Magnus to head into the kitchen. Magnus watches him walk to the fridge, pull out two water bottles, and jog back into the living room. He opens one of the bottles and hands it to Magnus, who takes a long swig. The water sends a refreshing chill through his body, and he takes another deep breath after swallowing it down.

“Better?” Alexander asks from beside him, cracking open his own bottle and taking a sip. He grimaces slightly as he puts the bottle’s cap back on and sets it on the floor, moving a hand to his shoulder, massaging it.

“Oh, don’t –.” Magnus reaches out to guide Alec’s hand away from the injured shoulder. “You’ll just irritate the muscles.”

“Yes, doctor,” Alec teases, then he narrows his eyes at Magnus, “Wait, can you fix this?”

“Your shoulder?” Magnus caps his own bottle, setting it down by his feet. He clears his throat. “I mean, I really shouldn’t, since I don’t know the extent of your injury, but technically…yes.”

Alexander looks surprised, “Really?”

Yes, _really,_ ” Magnus retorts, rolling his eyes. “I’m an ER doctor. What do you think I do all day?”

“Uh, save lives?” Alexander answers sheepishly, grin spreading across his face.

“Good answer,” Magnus huffs, shaking his head. He likes it when they’re like this – casual banter, quiet conversations – it reminds him of the beginning, when they first met. He wishes he could rewind the clock and go back; things were so much simpler when he didn’t know Alec’s secret.

_And he still doesn’t know mine._

“Do you want to try?” Alec asks, pointing to his shoulder. “I promise I’m a good patient.”

Magnus smiles, knowing Alexander is trying to distract him, keep things light so that Magnus feels calm. He appreciates it dearly, and honestly, it’s working.

This, though, exposing his magic to Alec… Magnus isn’t sure how it will go. But his magic is a part of who he is, and if he truly is _everything_ to Alexander, then it shouldn’t matter that Magnus has magic.

“Okay,” Magnus starts, turning to face Alec on the couch. “I will fix your shoulder, but not in the conventional sense.”

Alec raises a brow, “What, are you gonna use crystals or essentials oils or something?”

“Hey, don’t hate on crystals! And, there is a ton of research confirming the benefits of essential oils, thank you very much,” Magnus defends. “But, no. This is a little more… taboo.” 

Alexander makes a face, and Magnus sighs, “Just close your eyes, okay?”

“Alright,” Alec replies cautiously, but closes his eyes, lashes fluttering as he does so. Magnus admires his face for a second, then turns his attention to the agent’s left shoulder.

“This shouldn’t hurt,” he reassures, saying it both for Alec and himself.

 _Just concentrate,_ he tells himself, placing a hand over Alec’s arm. He takes a deep breath, focusing his magic. His hand starts to glow, and he passes it over the length of the arm, stopping by his shoulder and rotating his wrist, conjuring a silent healing spell. He looks at Alec’s face, and he’s not wincing, which Magnus takes as a good sign. While he’s at it, he passes his hand over that beautiful face, waving his fingers just so to heal the cuts there. When he passes his hand over his face a second time, the cuts are gone.

“Yes!” Magnus whispers proudly, quietly cheering himself. He rotates his wrist inward and makes a fist, finalizing the spell.

“Are you done? Did it work?” Alec asks.

“Open your eyes and see for yourself,” Magnus responds, sitting back against the arm of the couch, still facing the other man.

Alexander opens one eye, and then the next, giving Magnus a doubtful look.

“You didn’t even touch me,” he states, incredulous.

If Magnus didn’t know any better, he’d say the agent actually sounds disappointed.

“Didn’t have to,” Magnus boasts, crossing his arms, “Test it out.”

Alexander hesitates for a moment, then moves his left arm around. He moves slowly at first, comparing it with his right, then he’s a little rougher with the arm, jerking it around in multiple directions and stretching it every which way.

“How the…?” He furrows his brows in confusion, like he’s trying to figure it out, and Magnus has to say it’s a little entertaining. He wonders how he feels so relaxed about this, but then he realizes that it’s about control – in this moment, _he_ is in control; this is his element.

“Told you I could fix it,” Magnus brags, “No big deal.”

“Okay, but _how_?” Alexander insists, looking at Magnus with wide eyes. “I mean, the only way… you’d have to be…”

“A Magician?” Magnus finishes for Alec.

“There’s no way,” he whispers, shaking his head.

Magnus raises a brow before snapping his fingers, making his hands glow, and Alec gasps.

“You’re a Magician,” he states, looking at Magnus’ hands in disbelief. He looks up then, narrowing his eyes at the doctor. “How could you not tell me this?”

Magnus scoffs, waving his hands to stop them from glowing. “How could I not tell _you?_ Alexander, I haven’t told anyone else _but_ you! No one else knows about my magic.”

Alec sighs heavily then, turning to the files on the coffee table and picking up a folder. He hands it to Magnus, who gingerly takes it from him.

“Someone else knows, Magnus,” he says softly.

Magnus stomach drops. “What?”

Alec points his chin at the folder in his hands. “Those are still classified, but now that I know you’re… a Magician, you need to see them.”

Magnus swallows, unsure what to expect. He looks down at the folder, lifting it between his hands. He closes his eyes, fingers tingling with magic. He separates his palms, and when he opens his eyes, the folder is open, and nine photos are floating in the air in front of him. He barely notices the look of wonder on Alec’s face, too consumed by what he sees.

Each photo is an intimate shot of him, in vulnerable moments – sleeping, dancing, _crying_ – and in some of them, he’s using his magic. Seeing one was enough to send his mind reeling the night before, but nine?

“I… who…who would…” Magnus stammers, his breath coming in shallow puffs, “Where did you get these? How did the FBI get these? Who is taking these pictures?”

“We don’t know,” Alec responds calmly, “That’s why I’m here. Someone else knows about your magic, and we’re worried that they want to use you, or... or hurt you.”

“Hurt me?” Magnus frets, shaking his head, “This can’t be happening, this isn’t my life, I’m just a doctor, I _help_ people, why would anyone want to hurt me?” Magnus closes his eyes, makes a fist, and flings his arm toward the front door, sending the photos flying across the room before covering his face with both hands. He’s not too proud to cry in front of Alexander; he’s done it before, and he doesn’t have the strength to pretend he’s fine.

He feels the couch rise and dip again, and looks up to find Alec right in front of him.

“I’m so sorry, Magnus,” he sooths, placing a warm hand on the other man’s knee. “I know this is a lot, and I know you must be scared, but I’m here to keep you safe. I promise I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Magnus shakes his head, sniffling, “How can you promise that?”

“My mission is to keep you safe at any cost. If someone wants to get to you, they’re going to have to go through me, and I am not afraid to put them down.”

Alexander says this so confidently, and Magnus believes him, _trusts_ him, but he’s completely emotionally spent, and once the first sob gets past his lips, he’s a complete mess. He falls into Alec, who wraps his arms around the doctor, consoling him with words and rubbing his back.

“It’s going to be okay, Mags,” he whispers gently, planting a kiss in his hair.

Magnus simply buries his face further into Alec’s neck, letting his tears soak the agent’s shirt. He doesn’t want to move, doesn’t want to leave the comfort and safety of Alexander. He knows he will have to eventually, knows he’ll need to suck it up and put on a brave face, but for now, he lets his tears fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, another night spent staying up till 2am to crank it out. HOPE YOU LIKED IT, as always please leave your comments. They give me so much life.  
> Also, I'm starting to realize that this fic is 80% angst? I'm a masochist, what can I say. There will be time for fluff later (I think. I hope?), so stay tuned!  
> xoxo, Edwina


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec refocuses on the mission; he has a job to do, after all.

It’s almost 7AM when Alec wakes, yawning as the first few rays of the sunrise peek through the curtains that hang in front of the balcony doors. The light shines in his eyes and he squints, turning his head away. When he does, however, he finds himself face to face with a sleeping Magnus and realizes, suddenly, that they are pressed together on the couch, still in the living room.

 _We must have fallen asleep,_ Alec thinks, looking at Magnus’ position, curled up close, one arm tucked between their bodies, the other flopped lazily across Alec’s hip. Alec’s right arm stretches around the doctor’s back, while his other arm, he notices, is almost numb, angled awkwardly above him to support his own head.

For a moment, Alec considers closing his eyes and going back to sleep; he’s exhausted, they both are, and he doesn’t want to wake the other man; he’s been through so much in such a short time. But his body aches from his current position, and the smartwatch on his wrist vibrates, alerting him to new messages that he definitely needs to answer. He knows Magnus doesn’t have to go to work until later in the week, but Alec has a lot to do today. He’s trying to think of a way to detach himself from Magnus when Magnus stirs, breathing in and out, heavy and slow.

“Five more minutes,” he mumbles sleepily, lips brushing the skin on Alec’s cheek, sending a shiver down the agent’s spine. They’re ridiculously close, their bodies barely fitting on the couch. One wrong move and they’d both tumble over, down onto the rug covering the floor.

“Mags,” Alec breathes, and his voice comes out rougher than he intended. He clears his throat to speak again, but then Magnus whines, and it’s a sound Alec didn’t know he missed. He smiles despite himself. “Magnus, I’ve got to get up. You can go to bed.”

“M'comfy here,” he murmurs in protest, tightening his grip around the agent. It really is taking a lot of willpower for Alec not to simply give in, and he’s slightly concerned about the emotional hold Magnus still has on him. Alec is slacking, he’s behind mission schedule, and he needs to get back on track, or Luke is going to tear him a new one.

“Magnus,” Alec says firmly, and the doctor groans.

“Fine,” he sighs, detaching himself from Alec one limb at a time. Alec adjust his arms and legs so Magnus can stand, sitting up in the process. He runs a hand through his hair, tilting his head up to look at Magnus. The older man stretches, yawns, then looks down at himself with a frown, sighing again.

“Well, this just won’t do,” he states, mostly to himself. Then, he snaps his fingers, and last night’s outfit is replaced with lounge pants and a Columbia Medical School t-shirt. His jewelry disappears along with his smudged makeup, and his face is now perfectly clean, save for a little stubble.

Alec is both shocked and impressed, still getting used to the idea that his ex-boyfriend is an actual Magician. _Yet another thing I need to update the team about._

“I could do you,” Magnus intones, looking at Alec and twirling his wrist.

Alec almost chokes. “You – um, what?” he sputters, and Magnus rolls his eyes. 

“The clothes, you idiot,” he replies jokingly, “It’s a shower in a snap. Even includes a shampoo, if you want.”

“Right, um, I think I’m good with an actual shower, you know?”

Magnus shrugs, “Suit yourself. Usually I would agree, I do love washing my hair, but my shower routine is quite extensive, and I have zero energy right now.”

“Oh, I remember your 20-minute shower routine,” Alec chuckles.

Magnus pouts, “I don’t understand your 5-minute routine. How is anyone expected to actually be _clean_ after just five minutes! It’s senseless,” he huffs dramatically.

“Maybe I just don’t want to waste so much water,” Alec teases, standing to stretch his legs, “Perhaps you should show a little more concern for the environment?”

“Please,” Magnus scoffs, crossing his arms, “I asked you plenty of times to share a shower with me in the name of conservation, and you almost always refused.”

“By the time _you_ finished in there, I’d be a prune!”

Magnus releases a short, but loud, laugh at that, covering his mouth with his hand like he didn’t expect it. He looks at Alec with wide eyes, who can’t help but giggle at the look on his face, and then they’re both laughing, shaking their heads.

“You really haven’t forgotten a thing, have you?” Magnus asks solemnly after the laughter subsides, his tone catching Alec off guard.

The agent shifts his weight from one foot to the other, unsure what to do with his hands, so he clasps them behind his back. He looks at Magnus, trying his best to settle his nerves.

“Not a thing,” he answers quietly. He clears his throat, keeping his gaze locked on the other man. “There hasn’t been a day of my life that I haven’t thought about you since the moment we met, Magnus. I mean that.”

Alec isn’t sure why his brain decided that _now_ was the best time to admit this, but he says it confidently, because it’s the truth.

Magnus’ eyes widen slightly, and Alec knows he believes him.

“I…” Magnus starts, voice trailing as he looks away. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath in, and releases it a few seconds later. He opens his eyes and takes two short steps closer to Alec, who doesn’t move a muscle. Once they’re standing only inches apart, the doctor’s hands come up to rest high on Alec’s shoulders, his long fingers tapping at the back of his neck.

“Thank you, Alexander,” he says finally, meeting Alec’s eyes, “That means a lot to me.”

“ _You_ mean a lot to me,” Alec replies softly, and again, he’s really not in control of the words falling from him mouth at this point, but it’s still the truth, so he lets it happen.

Magnus’ eyes widen again, hinting at shock this time, before he lifts himself up on his toes to slot their lips together in a sudden, searing kiss.

Alec makes a surprised noise, arms moving to grab Magnus by the waist to steady them both. He feels himself melting into the kiss, into Magnus, into the possibility that _maybe it’s not too late, maybe we can be together again, maybe we’ll fall back in –_

The loud trill of Alec’s cell phone interrupts the kiss, both men pulling apart in surprise, breathing heavily. When Alec opens his eyes, he sees that Magnus’ pupils already blown, dark with passion and confusion and _desire_ , and it takes all the willpower he can muster to keep himself from diving back into the kiss.

One hand still on Magnus’ waist, Alec reaches down to the coffee table to pick up the phone. He shuts off the ringer but recognizes the number on the touch screen as Luke’s office phone.

“I have to take this,” he sighs, turning back to Magnus, who looks somewhat disappointed, but he nods anyway.

“I understand,” he replies, sliding his hands to Alec’s chest. “Go do your job, agent. I’ll be in bed. The uh, bathroom is around the corner, first door on the left.” He smiles weakly before pulling away, turning to walk out of the living room, down the hallway toward his master bedroom.

Alec watches him leave, his heart sinking like it already misses the other man’s presence. He shakes his head, turning his focus back to his ever-ringing phone. He has work to do.

_Get it together, Lightwood._

…

The next few hours are spent on the phone with both Agent Garroway and Agent Fairchild, updating them on the mission. He tells them everything he knows so far, confirms that Magnus is in fact a Magician, and briefs them on the attack the night before.

“You’re sure there was no driver? No one fleeing the scene –?”

“I’m telling you, I shot through the windshield, and I saw no one.”

They discuss the incident, trying to find out how a car could attack a person on its own. The possibilities make up a hefty list – a self-driving car, a remote-operated engine, another Magician – all of which are leads that Alec has to follow. His superiors have to contact and persuade local law enforcement _not_ to investigate the car crash in front of the apartment building, as to not scare off any suspects. Agents are sent in undercover as police officers and firemen to retrieve what’s left of the vehicle and analyze it at a nearby FBI facility. Luke and Agent Fairchild both scold Alec for being unorganized and leaving a mess. Alec, however, gets pissed off about being out of the loop on the CIAs former involvement in the case, for which they apologize, but assure him that they didn’t think it was relevant, nor did they expect him to run into Agent Santiago while in the field.

“You should use him,” Agent Fairchild says into Alec’s ear. He’s pacing in Magnus’ office, which he finds on the opposite side of the apartment after doing some surveilling. The door is unlocked when he finds it, and the room looks mostly undisturbed. It holds a large desk, an even larger bed, a couple windows on two of the walls, and a walk-in closet. Alec decides it’s probably safe to set up there and brings all of his belongings and case files into the room. The door is closed while he’s on the call, as to not wake Magnus, but he still tries to keep his voice level, so he’s not overheard.

“Who, Santiago?” Alec responds, slowing his steps, “May I ask why?”

“Well, he had the case before you, so he might have an advantage. You both know Magnus; you are both familiar with the people in his circle and his routines.”

“Do you think he’ll go for it?” asks Luke. They’re on a three-way call — Alec in New York, Luke in D.C., and Agent Fairchild in an undisclosed location.

“I mean, we know he’s technically working a case that isn’t even his anymore. We tell him that if he partners with us on this, anything we find with his help, the CIA gets credit.”

“Of course, they do,” Alec scoffs. He adjusts his earpiece and starts pacing again, “So, what, he’ll be like an informant?”

“Precisely,” she replies.

“You think you can work with this Santiago guy?” Luke asks, clearly thinking of the personal toll it might take to work with your exes ex. Agent Garroway always has a way of knowing when Alec won’t like something. Alec finds it both unnerving and oddly comforting. 

“I’ll be fine,” he grunts, “Whatever helps us catch this creep, whoever they are.”

“Hold on, Jocelyn,” Luke interjects, “Magnus Bane doesn’t know Santiago is CIA. I’m not sure we should blow his cover.”

“You’re right, we shouldn’t,” she agrees, “Agent Lightwood, do you think you can work with Raphael Santiago while keeping Dr. Bane in the dark?”

Alexander pinches the bridge of his nose, sighing heavily. “I mean, technically yes, but –.”

“Perfect. I’ll let Luke discuss any further details with you. I have to go, but I will be in touch. Thank you for your time, gentleman. Fairchild, out.”

There’s a click, a pause, and then Luke speaks up again.

“You got this, kid?” he asks, slipping back into the uncle-figure he’s always been to Alec. It doesn’t happen often, but Alec is grateful for it now.

“Yeah, I got this,” he replies, trying to sound more confident than he feels. Now Alec has to work with his exes ex, who is part of another agency, all the while keeping yet another secret from Magnus, who is just starting to trust him again. _As if things weren’t complicated enough already._

“He’ll understand,” Luke says softly, like he’s reading Alec’s mind, “when it’s over.”

“Yeah, maybe,” he grumbles, not bothering to hide his annoyance, but refusing to outright voice his honest opinion on the plan. He has to at least _try_ to be professional here.

“Look, the faster we catch whoever is after Dr. Bane, the faster we can pull you out of there. Get your head on straight, work the case, get the job done, and it’ll be over before you know it.”

Alec opens his mouth to answer, but his mind stops him, replying the words in his head. _The faster we can pull you out… it’ll be over…_ It dawns on the agent that he will, once again, have to leave Magnus, because this mission is not indefinite. He will save his ex’s life, then break both of their hearts all over again.

_Shit._

“Right, of course,” Alec monotones, sitting down in the office chair by the desk. “I’ll get it done.”

“I know you will. Keep us updated, please. Garroway, out.”

There’s another click, and Alec pulls the earpiece out of his ear, tossing it onto the desk in front of him. He props his arms up, leaning heavily onto the desk by the elbows, and holds his head in his hands. He closes his eyes and sighs again, wishing, not for the first time, that he made a different career choice.

After a minute of sulking, Alec sits back up, opening his laptop so he can get to work. He has to monitor the cameras he set up, dig into any leads, solidify his cover, and get to work tracking down Raphael. He loves his job, loves being in the FBI, loves helping people, loves the skills he’s learned – but he hates keeping secrets. He didn’t have an issue with it before, it even came easily to him – that is, until he met Magnus Bane.

_Falling in love will do that._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY FOR THE WAIT but here's the next chapter! A little malec, a little FBI stuff, had to keep the balance. My goal is to update at least every 2 weeks. I'm watching like 2 episodes on season 3 per week to keep myself motivated. I also don't want the show to end. I've already been spoiled but like, my eMOTIONS. I'm not ready for any of it. 
> 
> ANYWAY THANK YOU FOR READING + COMMENT YOUR HEARTS AWAY, I love hearing your thoughts! Y'all give me life.  
> xoxo, Edwina


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hungover Magnus remembers the night he met Alexander.

Magnus wakes up to a massive headache.

He groans, squinting with one eye to avoid the onslaught of natural light coming through his large windows. It must be early afternoon, he thinks, then inclines his head to read the vintage analog clock hanging on the wall across from his bed. After confirming that it’s 1:30PM, he lets his head drop back to the bed. He falls asleep again for maybe ten minutes, but his head is pounding, and while he could just magically rid himself of his hangover, he’s parched and starving and decides that he needs sustenance STAT. Plus, magic takes a lot of physical and mental energy, and he is running dangerously low on that right now. He made the mistake of assuming his magic was limitless, back when he had just discovered it. He was in college, thought he was invincible, went days without eating, running on magic alone, and that landed him the emergency department with dehydration and extreme fatigue. They admitted him for a couple days, observed him for narcolepsy, even asked if he might have an eating disorder, but really, he had just burnt all his energy on magic. His medical team, of course, didn’t know about his magic, so they blamed his fatigue on his extremely high metabolism and told him, in so many words, to stop being stupid, drink more water, and increase his diet. He did as he was told, took a break from his magic, and felt better within a week. After that, he became more aware of the signs that told him that his magic, and his body, needed replenishing. Now, as an adult, Magnus uses his magic less dramatically, and knows exactly when slow down. Alcohol, he finds, dulls his abilities, and hangovers are annoyingly hard to get rid of, Magician or not – another thing he learned in college.

Throwing on the robe hanging on a hook behind his bedroom door, Magnus makes his way to the kitchen. He’s barefoot, but the cold floor tile is a welcome relief to his warm body. He yawns, pulling out ingredients he needs to make omelets. He finds a pan in the cupboard, places it on the stove, and wonders if he should make breakfast for two.

“It’s a little late for omelets, no?”

Magnus whips around so fast that he almost drops the spatula in his hand.

“Alexander,” he gasps, catching his breath, “You scared me half to death!”

The agent stands by the entrance of the open-concept kitchen, leaning on the side of the long marble island with his arms crossed, smiling. He’s already mostly dressed, Magnus notes, only missing his jacket and boots – it’s a simple look, just a black tee and jeans, fingerless leather gloves and black socks, plus a shoulder holster to hold his guns and _why is that so hot?_

“Sorry,” Alec chuckles, “I guess being light on my feet isn’t always a good thing.”

Magnus blinks himself out of his brief trance, moves his eyes up from Alexander’s body, back to his face, and the look Alec gives him, he knows he’s been caught.

“Oh, it’s fine,” Magnus clears his throat, waves his hand, “I’m just tired is all. And it’s never too late for omelets, especially when my body still thinks daytime is nighttime.”

He turns back around then to focus on cracking the eggs into a bowl, making a note to double all of his ingredients. “You want one?”

“Sure, yeah,” Alec answers from behind him, closer now. Magnus ignores that, disposes of the eggshells in the trashcan under the sink and grabs a small whisk from the drawer next to him to scramble the eggs.

“Can’t you just, ya know, magically make yourself some food?” Alec asks from behind him.

“I could,” Magnus answers, pulling out his cutting board. He doesn’t turn around; he isn’t sure he’ll care to finish cooking if he’s reminded just how delicious Alec looks today. “But I enjoy the process. Plus, I think food tastes better when I just take the time to make it myself.”

Alec hums in response, and Magnus continues cooking with a steady pace, moving back and forth between the fridge and the stove, chopping and mixing ingredients, all the while hyperaware of Alexander’s presence behind him, and the strong, silent tension building in the room.

It's driving him crazy.

He twists the knob on the stove to adjust the heat under the pan, turning it to the lowest setting as to not accidentally burn the food, but keep it warm. Then, he finally turns and leans his back against the counter to his left, only to find Alexander sitting atop the island counter, directly across from him. He has a curious look on his face, and Magnus finds it adorable.

“Can I help you?” Magnus sasses, and Alexander shakes his head, hair falling in front of his face. Magnus fights the urge to step forward and push it back for him.

“I’m just… reminiscing,” he begins, then sighs. “This… all of this feels so…familiar. It’s almost surreal.”

“Well, I _am_ a dream,” Magnus shrugs, “It’s only natural.”

“Uh huh,” Alec smirks, hopping down from the counter, “you know what I mean.” He continues, taking a step closer to Magnus, “Do you remember… the first time we had breakfast together?”

 _As if I could ever forget,_ Magnus thinks.

“I do,” he says, raising an eyebrow, “Why do you ask?”

“No reason,” Alec replies, taking another step forward. He’s half a foot away now, close enough to reach out and touch, which is exactly what Magnus wants to do. After last night, a lot has changed between them, and while Magnus can admit that a small part of him still has doubts, he hopes in his heart that this will not be a repeat of the past. It has to be different this time; they know each other’s secrets now, and Alexander recognizes his mistakes from before, so _it has to be different._

So he gives in, reaches out and runs his hands over Alexander’s chest. Alec, in turn, takes his hands in his, brings them to his lips, and kisses his knuckles. It’s such a sweet, careful gesture, and Magnus thinks he might melt.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks quietly, lips still pressed against the back of his fingers. Alec continues kissing him, on his hands, his wrists, slowly making his way down his forearms. His eyes, however, are fixed on Magnus, like he still expects an answer. _The nerve._

“The night we met,” he answers honestly, too distracted to tell a lie. His voice is breathier than he means it to be, but it’s _not_ his fault.

“Oh, yeah?” Alec raises a brow, pausing his kisses for a moment, and Magnus can see his mood change. He looks down, squeezes Magnus’ hands. “I… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

Magnus furrows his brows, confused. “Tell me what?”

“That night, well, that morning,” Alec sighs, “I wanted to tell you the truth, about who I really was, but –.”

“But you couldn’t,” Magnus finishes, pulling one hand away to tilt Alec’s head up. “Hey, look at me,” he commands, and Alec does, sad eyes filled with something that looks like regret. “You were already undercover then, right?”

Alec nods, and Magnus rubs his chin with his thumb.

“You couldn’t tell me, and you had no reason to trust me that soon. There was no way to know we would see each other again –.”

“I shouldn’t have asked you to,” Alec mutters, shaking his head, “I shouldn’t have contacted you again; I knew better. I knew the risks, but I did it anyway. It was selfish.”

Magnus pulls back a little, slightly offended. _What is he saying?_

“Do you regret it?”

Alexander gives him a questioning look, like he’s shocked that Magnus is even asking that question, but it’s an important question, and he needs to know.

“Of course not,” he declares, “Do you?”

“No,” Magnus affirms, still looking at Alec. “Sometimes, I guess I just wish that maybe… I wish we met under different circumstances.”

“I know, me too,” Alec admits, grabbing both of Magnus’ hands again, “But being here with you has reminded me how lucky I am to have met you at all.”

“Alexander –.”

Magnus is interrupted by Alec’s lips on his own, so he can’t say he’s too upset about it. He kisses back, moving to wrap his arms around Alec’s neck. He deepens the kiss then, parting his lips, moaning into the agents mouth when Alexander pulls their bodies closer together. His mind empties of all else, only him and the love of his life. They kiss like this for a while, all lips and tongues and teeth, until Magnus has to come up for air.

“Wow,” he pants, unsure of what to say. His heart is beating outside of chest, Alec is looking at him like he’s the most precious thing in the world, and all he can think about his how much he never wants to let go of the man in front of him.

His heart sinks when realizes, suddenly, that he might have to. Once the mission ends, Alexander has to go back to D.C. _This is only a temporary situation_ , he remembers, and as much as he wants the FBI to catch whoever is after him, he finds himself dreading it. He can’t lose Alexander again.

…

_19 months earlier._

Magnus didn’t think he’d ever be turned on by a simple game of billiards, but here he is, _very_ turned on, playing against a man he met only an hour ago.

Because damn, this guy is _good._

He’s trying to show off, Magnus notices, and it’s a little obvious, but they are both pretty tipsy at this point, so Magnus gives him a pass. Plus, it’s fun to see how a few drinks turns this shy, brooding stranger into a total sexpot.

“See that?” Alec points out after hitting yet another ball into the corner pocket, “It’s just like archery. It’s all about the aim, Magnus.”

“You’re an archer?” Magnus asks, stalking Alec with his eyes as he moves around the table, choosing his next move.

“Mmhmm,” Alec hums, leaning down with his pool cue to line up a shot, “Took lessons as a kid. I got pretty good, actually, even won a few competitions here and there. Now, I do it for fun.”

“Well, there’s nothing more attractive than a confident, talented man,” Magnus teases, reaching for his martini glass on one of the side tables. Alec glances up at him with what Magnus is _certain_ are bedroom eyes, then looks back down at the pool table.

“Six ball, corner pocket,” he says with a smirk.

Magnus takes a sip of his drink, intrigued. “Good luck with that.”

Two seconds later, the six ball lands in said corner pocket with a solid _thunk_ , and Magnus bites his lip. This game feels a little too much like foreplay, like they’re both trying to out-seduce each other in the most subtle ways, and Magnus is suddenly _very_ impatient. Alec stands back up, stretching slightly, before continuing to walk around to Magnus’ side of the table.

“You’re a man of many talents,” Magnus tells him, licking his lips. Alec chuckles, and it’s a low, predatory sound. He steps up to Magnus and takes the glass from his hand, downing the rest of his drink in one go.

It’s a power move, and it works.

“You have no idea,” he whispers, and it’s a _definite_ come-on, so Magnus takes a hint, abandons the game, and practically drags Alec out of the bar and into a cab.

“Where are we headed?” Alec asks once they’re moving.

Magnus already gave the driver his address. “My place,” he answers, eying the other man’s mouth. He looks back up to his face, hoping he didn’t misread the signs. “That okay?”

“More than okay,” Alec smiles, and Magnus is flooded with relief and anticipation. He doesn’t know how he got so lucky, because this guy is definitely a catch, but he refuses to question it. He grabs a fistful of Alec’s shirt and pulls him in for their first kiss of the night, reminding himself that deserves to have a little fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEEEEEE, FEELS. I was so pumped to write another flashback. The next chapter will continue it, but in Alec's POV.   
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave comments if you want! I literally am obsessed with reading them.   
> XOXO, Edwina (:


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Old memories, secret partnerships, and new threats.

_19 months earlier._

Alec isn’t sure if sleeping with a stranger while he’s undercover is a good idea, but Magnus is currently sucking at a particularly sensitive spot on his neck that makes him see stars, so he’s not too concerned about it at the moment.

They’ve barely made it into the apartment, Magnus having slammed Alec against the door as soon as it closed behind them. He’s unbuttoning Alec’s top with nimble fingers, mouth still attached to Alec’s throat, and Alec would be impressed if his mind could form coherent thoughts.

“Mmm – _Magnuuuus,_ ” he moans, and the other man responds by sliding his hands up and over his shoulders to remove Alec’s shirt. Once it’s off, he places a quick, firm bite to the skin on the side of his neck, and Alec shudders.

“Having some trouble using our words, are we?” he teases in a low voice, and Alec is thinking of a reply when he feels Magnus’ mouth on his jawline.

_Jesus._

“If you keep that up, this might be over before it even starts,” Alec gasps, holding onto Magnus’ shoulders to keep himself upright. He’s not used to being this out of control, knees already weak, and he hears the warning signals going off in his head, but it’s hard to pay much attention to them when this guy’s mouth is on him.

They’re kissing again and Magnus is undoing his belt, then unzipping his pants, and Alec thinks it’s time to take back the upper hand. 

Plus, there’s a gun on his ankle that will definitely dampen the mood as soon as his pants come off.

It takes some effort, but Alec pushes himself off the door with a grunt, stilling Magnus’ hands by grabbing his wrists. He spins them around so Magnus’ back is flat against the door now, and he pins Magnus’ wrists above him with one hand, using his height to his advantage. Magnus immediately tries to get loose, looking surprised, and _aroused,_ when he realizes he cannot.

“Shit,” he curses, licking his lips, “Not gonna let me touch you, darling?”

Alec chuckles at the pet name, keeps his grip firm and Magnus clenches his fists, still attempting to pull away.

“Patience,” he chides, leaning down to kiss Magnus again, slow and deep. It’s meant to be a tease, but Magnus catches his bottom lip between his teeth as Alec pulls away, and that really shouldn’t be as hot as it is. He levels a look at him, and Magnus smirks before rolling his hips off the wall and _grinding_ against Alec, making his intensions _very_ clear.

“I’m not good at being patient,” Magnus croons, lifting a leg and wrapping it around Alec’s hip. “Not when I know what I want.”

Alec’s free hand reaches down to grip him under his thigh, keeping their bodies flush together.

“And what do you want?” he drawls, eyes moving from the other man’s lips up to his pretty eyes.

“You,” he breathes, and suddenly, Alec is very ready to be naked in a bed with this guy.

He frees Magnus’ wrists, then scoops down to grab his other leg, hoisting him up but keeping him pressed against the door so that he doesn’t fall. Magnus makes a surprised noise, then wraps his arms tight around Alec’s neck.

“Hot _and_ strong?” Magnus grins, kissing Alec on the mouth again, “How did I get so lucky?”

Alec laughs as Magnus kisses him again, stepping away from the wall to carry Magnus to what looks like the nearest bedroom. They tumble onto the bed together, touching and groaning and undressing quickly. Before his pants come off, Alec makes an excuse to go to the bathroom in order to hide his gun and ankle holster. He finds a spot under the sink and makes a mental note to remember them in the morning, before strolling back to bed and pouncing on Magnus.

The sex is excellent, the best sex Alec has had in a _very_ long time. They take their time devouring each other, slowing things down to make it last. By the time they are both thoroughly satiated, Alec is so exhausted that he promptly falls asleep, limbs thrown around Magnus, the golden sheets a mess around their bodies.

When Alec wakes in the morning, he’s surprised to find the bed empty. He panics for half a second, bolting upright and running to the bathroom. When he finds his gun and holster still hidden, he calms down and gets dressed, picking up his clothes from the floor and strapping his gun back onto his ankle. He’s walking out of the bedroom trying to decide if he should leave a note when a voice catches his attention.

“Leaving so soon?” Magnus calls from the kitchen. Alec looks up to see the other man, clad only in a silk robe, holding a cup of coffee. “I made us breakfast.”

_Us?_

Alec did _not_ expect this. His one night stands usually end with him sneaking out, leaving a note to thank his host for a good time, but never a phone number. In his line of work, it’s smarter to stay detached. But now, here is Magnus, looking sexy as hell, with his hair mused and his face bare, offering him breakfast. _Who is this guy?_

“Um, that’s…really kind of you,” he stammers, “but I wouldn’t want to impose –.”

“Nonsense,” Magnus interrupts, waving a hand, “I made too much for myself, it would be a shame to see it go to waste. You’d be helping me, truly.”

Alec considers this, and something in his mind tells him he should _get out of there,_ but he’s drawn to Magnus in a way that he’s not familiar with, and it excites him more than it scares him.

They eat together, talk and laugh, and it’s comfortable, it’s _fun,_ and it’s been so long since Alec’s felt like this about another man – since he’s _let_ himself feel this way. Lazy kisses in the kitchen turn into a full make out session on the couch, and when Alec finally leaves two hours later with Magnus’ number in his phone, he knows he’s in trouble.

…

_Now._

“This is hardly discreet,” Raphael grumbles, taking a seat across from Alexander. They’re in a coffee shop in the city, sitting at a small table near the back of the store. There are people constantly walking in and out, and an eternal line at the register, but from Alec’s vantage point, he can see every entrance and exit, and no one can get behind him because his back is against the far wall.

“The point is to blend in,” Alec quips, eyes on the laptop in front of him. He’s doing a deep dive into everyone in Magnus’ life that he knows of so far – his friends, his coworkers, his landlord – everyone. So far, no red flags, but he has to keep digging.

Upon the request of his supervisors, Alec reached out the CIA agent, who agreed to help him on the case to figure out who is after Magnus Bane and why. They spoke over the phone, on a secure line, and agreed to meet to exchange information in person. Alec and Raphael have been in contact for about two weeks, and Magnus still isn’t aware. Alec feels horrible keeping this from him, keeping _anything_ from him, but he hopes he’ll be able to come clean soon.

“Ah yes, you blend in so well, wearing all black, hunched over your computer, not suspicious _at all_.”

Alec scoffs, “Whatever. No one is paying attention to me, which is what I need.”

“Where does our dear Dr. Bane think you are?”

Alec narrows his eyes at Agent Santiago, because that’s _none of his business,_ but he tries to be professional and answers him anyway. 

“He’s at work right now, he knows I’m working on the case.”

Raphael hums, “So he doesn’t know you’re meeting with me?”

“No, he doesn’t,” Alec responds, annoyed. “Now are you going to help me, or just give me a headache?”

“My orders are to help you, and I’d like to keep my job.”

Raphael reaches into his bag and pulls out a manila folder stamped as “CLASSIFIED”, sliding it across the table. Alec raises a brow at him before grabbing the folder and flipping it open.

“What’s all this?”

“All the information I gathered when I worked the case, including emails, texts, profiles, phone logs, the whole nine. Anything that looked suspicious or important is highlighted. It’s not much, but it might save you some time. Researching everyone in his life did not turn up many solid leads,” he sighs, shaking his head. “I don’t think the stalker is someone Magnus knows, and if it is, he’s definitely not in contact with them anymore.”

Alec looks up at Raphael, then back down at the folder in his hands. He fingers through the documents, trying to find any highlighted sections. He spots one, a name, and his stomach twists.

“Wait, why is Dorothea Rollins highlighted? She’s Magnus’ best friend, and…they were together for a few months… did you find something on her?”

Raphael gestures for Alec to hand him the document he’s looking at, so he does. The agent takes the document and skims it quickly.

“Something was off about this one,” he utters, leaning back in his chair, eyes still scanning the paper in his hand. “Her record is squeaky clean, there’s not even a parking ticket. She’s too perfect. Plus, all of her social media pages were created the same month that she met Magnus, as if she didn’t exist before then. It’s suspicious.”

“Maybe she decided to stay off social media until after she finished medical school. That’s hardly a reason to pin this on her,” Alec counters.

“I’m not pinning anything on anyone without proper evidence,” Agent Santiago bites back, “But I’m telling you, something is off about her. I can feel it in my gut – she’s connected to this somehow.”

“Well, I hope your gut is wrong,” Alexander huffs, snatching the document back and stuffing it into the folder. He hopes Raphael is wrong because Dorothea has _way_ too much access to Magnus. They’re best friends, ex-lovers, colleagues; they’re probably at work together right now, and the thought of Magnus in danger…

“You look a little pale,” Raphael comments, “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Alec answers quickly, taking a sip of his coffee, “Was there anything else?”

“Always wanting more. Do they not teach you to say _thank you_ at the FBI?”

“Seriously, Santiago?”

The CIA agent sighs, pushing back from the table, “I’ll have more soon, I’m sure. We have assets around the city, I told them to keep any eye out for anything unusual.” He picks his bag off the floor and stands, “If I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”

“Thanks,” Alec grunts, and Raphael smirks.

“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Before Alec can think of a witty response, Agent Santiago turns on his heels and is out of the coffee shop, blending into the crowd on the street.

_Damn CIA agents._

Finally alone, Alec tosses the folder onto the table and lets his head fall into his hands. He’s been begging for a lead all week, and now that he has one, he wishes he didn’t. He’s about to get back on his laptop to do some more research when his phone rings. He pulls it out of his jacket pocket and smiles when he sees the caller ID.

“Hey, you,” he says into the phone, trying to keep his voice light.

“Alexander,” Magnus whispers, voice ragged, and Alec is immediately on high alert.

“Magnus? What’s wrong?” he asks, shutting his laptop and gathering his belongings. He looks at his watch and sees that it’s only 4PM, so Magnus should still be at work. There’s a pause on the other end of the line, and Alec can feel his anxiety rising. “Talk to me, Magnus!” 

“I…I think someone followed me,” he breathes, clearly panicked, and Alec freezes.

“Aren’t you at work?”

“No, I …they weren’t busy, so they sent me home early. I saw something…someone at the balcony doors, I… I’m hiding in my closet; I don’t know what to do.”

_Oh, god._

Alec worries less when Magnus is at work, even though he can’t physically be there to protect him, because the hospital is actually quite safe. They have trained security at the entrance, and Alec has access to the Emergency Department cameras, so he can see for himself that everything is okay. He’s tried to make sure he is home whenever Magnus is home, so that he’s not alone, not _vulnerable,_ like he is now. He curses himself for not being there.

“Did you see who followed you?” he asks, almost frantic, as he rushes out of the coffee shop to hail a cab. Luckily, there are plenty of cabs on the street today, so he slides into the backseat of the first one he sees. He hastily gives the driver Magnus’ addresses, hands him a fifty-dollar bill and promises to double it if he steps on it. The phone is still pressed to his ear when he leans back in the seat. “Magnus?”

“I think they’re inside,” Magnus whimpers, voice small and terrified, and Alec feels all the air leave his lungs.

“I’m on my way,” Alec assures him, but he can’t hide the fear in his voice. He has three guns on him, and he checks them all for ammunition, unloading and reloading each one. He’s not quiet about it, and when the driver eyes him warily in the rearview mirror, Alec simply flashes his badge at him.

“Alec,” Magnus says, and Alec can tell from his voice that he’s shaking, “Alexander, I’m so scared.”

“I know, baby,” he whispers, noticing the slip – an old habit – but not caring enough to correct himself, “Just stay exactly where you are, I’m on my way to you. You’re gonna be okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAHHHH DANGER AND SUSPENSE AND FEAR. I couldn't help myself and posted the next chapter super early, so enjoy the spoils! I've really gotta give my jalec and mckirk fics some more attention lmao. LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS. THINGS ARE HAPPENING.  
> xoxo, Edwina


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus and Alec face off against the intruder, who happens to be someone from Magnus' past.

Magnus tries his best to hold his breath, listening intently to the footsteps in his apartment. He doesn’t think he’s ever been so scared in his life.

_I’m on my way to you. You’re gonna be okay._

Alec’s words don’t do much to comfort him; he doesn’t know how far away he is, or how long it will take him to get back to the loft. Every second that ticks by feels like an hour, and Magnus isn’t sure what he’ll do if Alec doesn’t arrive in time. He knows he has his magic, but he’s not very good with it in high pressure situations. He squeezes his eyes shut, attempting to concentrate enough to portal himself somewhere safe, but he can’t focus, and he’ll surely give himself away if he gets it wrong.

“Dammit,” he curses, still shaking from fear.

“What happened?” Alexander frets over the phone. Magnus still holds it close to his ear with one hand.

“Tried to portal out,” he whispers, “but I’m shaking too hard, it won’t work.”

“You can… make portals?”

“Only to familiar places, for now,” Magnus answers, inhaling. He tries to gather enough strength for at least a force field spell. He moves one hand toward the closet doors, using his magic to create a shield behind them. There’s a flash of blue and it works, he thinks, so he brings his hand back to his side. He’s standing with his back against the side wall, keeping himself as still as possible. He can still hear the sound of footsteps around the loft. “Are you here yet?”

“Just hopped out of the cab, I’m coming your way.”

“Okay,” Magnus replies, shuddering, “okay.”

He can hear the clicks of a gun and the familiar ding of the elevator downstairs.

“I’m gonna hang up now, okay?”

“But –”

“I can’t let anyone hear me coming, and I need both of my hands. It’s gonna be okay. Just stay put, I’ll be there in just a minute.”

Magnus exhales, squeezing his eyes shut. He can tell he might cry but he tries his best to keep it together; he doesn’t want to be heard.

“Please, hurry,” he whispers, and hangs up the call. He silences his phone and slides it into the side pocket of his scrubs. His fingers glow with magic, although he’s not sure what powers he is summoning. He’s scared, and worried about Alec, and completely unprepared if he has to face this intruder head-on. Maybe the threat of magic will be enough to scare them away? Maybe –

“FBI, freeze!”

Magnus’ heart skips. _Alec. He’s here_. There are heavy steps then, moving quickly before stopping abruptly.

“Drop it, or I’ll shoot!” Alec warns, his voice muffled through the walls. There’s a clanging of metal on tile, and Magnus hears the intruder’s low chuckle. 

“Well, well, if it isn’t Magnus’ old boytoy,” the voice taunts, and it’s a woman’s voice, Magnus is sure, but he’s having trouble figuring out who it is, and how they know about Alec. “Back for seconds, huh? _And_ you’re an FBI agent? That sure makes things interesting.”

“Who are you?” Alec shouts, “What do you want with Magnus?”

“Is this the part where I ask for a lawyer?” the woman asks.

“This is the part where I arrest you if you don’t start talking.”

“On what grounds?”

“Assaulting a federal officer. Now, talk!”

There’s a pause, and Magnus is growing restless. _Who is she?_

“You’re really putting a dent in our plans, pretty boy,” she growls, “I just came here to have a little chat with the doctor.”

“I doubt you grabbed that knife to get medical advice.”

“More like… magical advice.”

Magnus gasps, listening intently. _How does she know?_ There’s another pause, and the doctor isn’t sure how much longer he can hide while Alec is out there, taking on this intruder on his own. He’s sure the agent has everything under control, but Magnus feels as if he’s _losing_ control, and he’s had enough.

Taking a deep breath and harboring every bit of bravery he can muster, Magnus waves a hand to break the force field and steps out of the closet. He makes his way to the closed door of his bedroom, where he can still hear the conversation happening in his kitchen.

“What are you talking about?” Alec asks.

“Oh, don’t play dumb,” the woman spits, “We have evidence of his abilities.”

“Who’s _we_?” Alec asks.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” the woman chides, and Magnus loses his patience. He’s tired of being afraid. His hands spark with orange magic, and he strides toward his door, yanking it open and marching down the hallway, into the kitchen where Alec is still pointing his gun at the intruder.

“Magnus!” he exclaims at the sight of him, distracting him for just a second, and the woman makes her move, drops her body quickly to pick up the knife by her feet and runs at Alec. Magnus watches this happen, wonders how the hell she’s so fast, feels his heart clench at the idea of Alec getting hurt, and his hand juts out, orange magic spilling forward.

“No!” he yells, terrified and angry and confused, but it works, his magic immediately wrapping itself around the woman, lifting her up and binding her arms to her body. The knife in her hand drops to the floor. He’s not sure how he’s doing this, and he feels just as mesmerized as Alec looks, his gun still trained on the woman, but his face turned toward Magnus, eyes wide.

“Magnus, how…?”

“I don’t know,” he breathes. He looks at the woman as she attempts to squirm out of his magic’s grip. He can feel her fighting it, but he holds steady. He squints, thinking that she almost looks… familiar?

“Who are you?” he demands, and the woman simply laughs.

“Magnus, Magnus, Magnus,” she drawls, giving up her fight, eyes focused on the doctor, “I should have known you would forget me.”

“Magnus, what is she talking about?” Alec asks, who looks ready for a fight, despite his bewilderment.

“I don’t _know,_ ” Magnus emphasizes, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head. How can he not remember someone? He’s usually so good with faces.

“You were pre-med at Columbia when we met,” she explains, eyes mischievous, “Don’t you remember what happened at your 21st birthday party?”

Magnus almost loses his concentration at that, his magic fizzling before becoming strong again. He blinks as all the memories of that night come rushing back in fragments, memories he practically forced himself to forget. It’s dizzying, and out of the corner of his eyes, he can see the concern on Alec’s face.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Alec barks at the intruder, still suspended in midair, “You still haven’t told us who the hell you are!”

“Magnus, darling,” she says in response, “Care to enlighten your FBI boyfriend?”

“Cam,” his mind provides, his voice a whisper, “Camille Belcourt.”

…

The next half hour is a whirlwind for Magnus. He manages to hold Camille with magic long enough for Alec to get handcuffs on her. The police arrive shortly after and arrest Camille on charges of breaking and entering, Alec having called them for backup on his way up to the loft. Since she is a suspect in a federal case, Alec briefs them on his mission (without revealing the fact that Magnus is a Magician), and they agree to hold her until he can come by and question her himself. She’ll be charged, they tell both Alec and Magnus, and she’ll sit in a jail cell for a while. Alec makes an appointment to swing by the precinct tomorrow. Magnus is sitting on the corner of the couch, trying to take calming breaths, when he hears Camille call to him again.

“He’s cute,” she leers, pointing her chin at Alexander, “Too bad it won’t last.”

“Shut up!” Alec shouts, moving to step in front of Magnus protectively.

“I have a boss, you know,” she snarls as she’s pulled away, cuffs tight around her wrists, “and if I don’t report back, he’ll come after you himself!”

Alec makes a disgusted sound and waves his hand dismissively. “Get her out of my sight,” he orders.

The officers nod and pull her into the elevator, holding onto her forearms so she doesn’t get loose. The doors to the elevator close, and finally, _finally,_ they’re alone again.

Magnus, feeling completely drained, lets his head fall into his hands. He’s exhausted, both mentally and physically, and the memory of his 21st birthday…

“Magnus? Magnus, are you okay?”

Alec crouches next to him, kneeling on the carpet and almost cradling Magnus, pulling his body so he can lean against Alec’s chest for support.

His first instinct is to lie, to tell Alec he’s fine, that he just used too much magic, but something tells him that honestly might be the best policy here, especially if he hopes to have a relationship with the agent. He’s still not sure how it’s possible, but he’s too overwhelmed to think about the future right now.

“No,” he mutters, releasing a slow breath, “I’m not.”

“I’m so sorry about all of this,” Alec says into Magnus’ hair, “I should have been here for you... I shouldn’t have left you here alone.”

Magnus looks up then, frowning. “Alexander, this is not your fault.”

The agent looks away. “She wouldn’t have tried to break in if she knew you weren’t alone.”

“I came home from work early, which is practically unheard of, there’s no way anyone could have known this would ha–.”

“I should have known,” Alec states firmly, “That’s my job. I should have calculated for chance and risk and stayed here, protected you, but instead I—.”

“You what? Had the audacity to work on the case elsewhere while I was at the hospital all day? The FBI will understand that there isn’t anything you could have done to prevent this.”

“Then what the hell am I doing here?” Alexander snaps, standing suddenly. Magnus watches him carefully, not moving from his spot on the couch. The agent is pacing with such force that Magnus will be surprised if there aren’t permanent shoe-shaped dents in the rug. “What good am I to you if I can’t do my job effectively? If I can’t keep you safe?”

“Surely you don’t think that’s all you’re good for,” Magnus prods, and Alec simply turns and gives him a look, lifting both arms in a shrug, as if to say, _What else is there?_

“Alexander,” Magnus continues gently, slightly offended but trying not to make it obvious, “I thought you said I was more than just a mission to you.”

Alexander’s face softens at that, and he takes quick steps toward the couch until he’s kneeling in front of Magnus again, warm hands resting on Magnus’ thighs.

“You _are_ ,” he states firmly, almost pleading, “That’s why it’s so important that I don’t fuck this up. Magnus, I… if something ever happened to you, I don’t know… I…”

Alec bites his lip, as if to keep himself from saying something he shouldn’t. Magnus is dying to hear it, whatever it is, and the way the agent is looking at him, with an intensity that threatens to pull Magnus under completely, he has an idea what it might be, but he won’t push.

“I know,” he says simply, placing his hand on Alec’s cheek, “It’s okay.”

“It’s not,” Alexander sighs, closing his eyes and leaning into the touch before standing again, pulling Magnus up with him, “We need to figure out what this Camille character knows.”

Magnus blinks, the events of the night suddenly at the forefront of his mind. “Right, of course,” he replies nervously, “I suppose you probably what to know what she was talking about.”

“Yeah, what was all that? Something about a birthday party?” Alec asks, walking toward the guest room. Magnus follows.

“My 21st birthday,” Magnus clarifies once they’re inside the room. Alexander takes a seat in the office chair in front of the desk, and Magnus sits down at the edge of the guest bed, still perfectly made. _Does the FBI let their agents sleep?_

There’s clicking and typing as Alexander pulls up a profile on Camille, her photograph appearing on the computer screen. It seems to have been captured by a security camera.

“Facial recognition places her here in the city for over a year, maybe two,” he mutters, still typing, “and before that… Oh.”

“What is it?” Magnus asks, walking over to the desk. Then he sees it. The photograph pulled up is from his first day of his pre-med program at Columbia, the official class photograph. In it, all of the students stand in rows, in alphabetical order, him next to Camille. He had long since thrown away his copy of said photo, the memory of her, of what happened, too painful. Seeing it again makes him feel faint.

“You were classmates?” Alec asks, like he’s trying to connect the dots.

“Yeah, we… we started the program together. We got close.”

“Close?”

“We dated,” Magnus admits, moving to sit back down on the bed. “Which was stupid.”

Alexander whirls around in his chair, facing Magnus. “So, is she just some spiteful ex? Did you tell her about your magic?”

“No, it’s… there’s more to it than that. She has every right to be angry with me, but not just because we broke up.”

Alexander raises a brow at him, “What happened at this birthday party? Did you…?” He tilts his head, judgement all over his face.

“What? Oh, no! No way, nothing like that,” Magnus shakes his head vigorously, “I would never.”

“Boys are stupid in college, had to ask,” Alec makes a placating gesture with his hands, then relaxes back in his chair, “So what happened?”

Magnus does not want to relive that night. He doesn’t want to share it with Alexander of all people, doesn’t want to feel the shame all over again. But now she’s _after him_ , perhaps seeking revenge, and she knows about his magic, so Magnus decides that the story is relevant enough to tell. He sighs heavily, looking down at the floor. He regrets this already.

“I got my powers the day I turned 21,” he starts, voice low, “That night, the night of the party, I… I accidentally used my magic… on her.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THE PLOT THICKENS.  
> What did you think? Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I have a better idea where I want it to go now so I'm trying to move the case plot forward. Let me know your thoughts and theories in the comments! Love hearing from you guys. <3  
> xoxo, Edwina


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus reveals his past, Alec stresses over the present, and Luke gives Alec advice that might affect his future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, new chapter! Many thanks and blessings to you guys who are keeping up with the story! It's all starting to come together in my head, so I'm excited to keep writing. It's moving slowly, but I hope you don't mind. I'm a fan of details, so I don't want to rush it. I hope you enjoy it and that it brings you a few moments of peace during these very anxious times.  
> Tell me what you think! Any theories?  
> xoxo, Edwina (:

“You _what?_ ” Alec can’t believe what he’s hearing, “Did you have any idea what you were doing?”

“Clearly, I did not, because it was an _accident_! _”_ Magnus emphasizes loudly.

“What did you do?”

Magnus sighs again, sitting up. He avoids Alec’s gaze when he speaks.

“In my defense, I wanted to cancel the party, but my friends wouldn’t listen to me. The entire day had been a mess, I was making portals all around campus, changing my outfits every time I snapped, lighting stuff on fire by waving my hands the wrong way… I couldn’t control it.”

Alec nods, feeling sorry for young Magnus, “That must have been scary.”

“It was terrifying,” he confirms, “I had heard of Magicians, of course, but I never dreamed I would be one. I knew the risks, I knew I had to keep it a secret, so I went to the party like everything was fine. Camille was my girlfriend at the time, and I knew I couldn’t be with her anymore, not while I felt so… _unhinged._ Our relationship was far from perfect, but I loved her, and I couldn’t lie to her. I knew I could never tell her about my powers, so I had to let her go.”

Alexander internally winces, feels guilt creeping up his neck, but keeps a straight face, pushing the feeling down. He nods to encourage Magnus to keep going.

“I know that a birthday party isn’t the best place or time for a breakup, but I didn’t see her until I got there. I mingled for a while, had some drinks, tried to act normal, even though I felt like a freak. Later in the night, I pulled Cam aside, snuck upstairs to an empty room, and told her I had feelings for someone else.”

“Did you?”

“Well, I had a crush one of our professors, Dr. Fell, and I told her that. He and I were just friends; I would never have actually left her for him, but of course, she didn’t know that. She felt betrayed, which was the point; she had always been a bit territorial, but she became furious with me. I tried to apologize, but she didn’t care. She threatened to tell the Dean about Dr. Fell and I, even though _nothing_ was happening. I didn’t mind that she was pissed at me, but I couldn’t let her ruin another man’s _career_ because of me.”

Alexander lifts himself up from the chair he’s in to sit down next to Magnus on the bed. He can tell how hard it is for him to tell this story, and he hates that he has to hear it, but Camille is clearly very dangerous, and she has a boss, and they need all the information they can get.

“Magnus,” Alec says softly, reaching out to place a comforting hand on the other man's shoulder, “What did you do?”

“I lost control,” he replies, sad eyes looking straight ahead. “She had me cornered, and she was so angry, and I just… reacted. I must have moved my arms in a certain way, while I was yelling at her to get away, because a portal opened up in the floor, and she…”

“She fell through the portal,” Alec finishes after a beat, stunned. “Where did you send her?”

“I have no idea,” Magnus whispers, shaking his head, “She disappeared, and I thought…. I thought I killed her. I barely remember what happened next. I just know that ran out of the house in a panic, ran all the way to the library, and didn’t stop till I got to the section about Special Humans.”

“What were you looking for?”

“A way to fix it,” Magnus goes on, “I knew they kept spell books on campus, completely useless to anyone who wasn't a Magician, so I found a few of them and began reading. I stayed there for hours, flipping through the pages to find anything, _anything_ that could help me.”

“Did you find anything?” Alec questions.

Magnus sighs, “A memory spell. A way to make everyone forget that Camille ever existed. The catch was that it only worked as long as the forgotten person was never mentioned, so I knew it wouldn’t be perfect, but I had to try. I had no idea if I could even muster up that kind of power, but I did my best. When I finished the incantation, an enormous pulse of magic rippled through me, and I think it took all my energy because I passed out right there. The librarian found me the next morning, and I had no recollection of the night before.” Magnus looks up at Alec then, eyes shining with tears, “My solution was to forget her. What kind of person does that?”

“Magnus,” Alec starts, but he’s at a loss for words. What do you say to someone who sent their forgotten ex-girlfriend through a portal to God-knows where, only to have her show up again a decade later, vowing revenge? Alec wishes he could simply take the doctor’s pain away, but he knows it’s not possible. Instead, he grabs the other man’s hand and squeezes gently, hoping it’s enough to show his support.

“I never wanted to tell you this,” Magnus continues, voice filled with guilt. Tears fall from his eyes now. “I never wanted you to see this…terrible, ugly side of me.”

Alec heart sinks. “Hey,” he urges, grabbing the man by his shoulders, “Look at me.” Magnus turns his body slightly to face him, and Alec looks him straight in the eyes, because he needs Magnus to believe his words. “There is nothing, _nothing,_ ugly about you.”

They stare at each other for a moment, then Magnus’ lip quivers and he drops his gaze, and Alec pulls him into his chest, wrapping his arms protectively around him.

They stay like that for a while, just holding each other, breathing together, until Magnus stops sniffling, and Alec slowly pulls away.

“You okay?” he asks gently, wiping a tear off Magnus’ cheek with the back of a finger.

Magnus nods, “Yeah, I just… these memories, they’re not going away, and I worry that if… I don’t want to…” he trails off, averts his eyes. He looks nervous.

“Magnus, what is it?” Alec asks, “Whatever it is, you can tell me. I’m here for you.”

“I…I don’t want to be alone tonight,” he hesitates, “I’m afraid to be alone.”

Alec blinks a few times before responding.

“You… do you want me to stay with you?” he asks tentatively, because he’s a bit thrown by the request. Sure, they’re getting to know and trust each other again, and they’ve spent multiple nights together in the past, but Magnus admitting that he’s afraid? That he’s in need? He’s baring his soul to Alec, and the agent isn’t quite sure how to handle that. “Like, in your room?”

“Only if you’re comfortable with that,” Magnus adds in a rush, and Alec can see his cheeks reddening. “If not, that’s totally okay, I’ll be fine, I can just –.” 

“Magnus,” Alec interrupts, taking the other man’s hands in his own. “Of course, I’ll stay with you. Whatever you need.”

“But what about…?” Magnus gestures toward the desk, where his files are spread out and his computer is still on. He _does_ need to make a call to his supervisors, but it doesn’t have to take too long.

“I’ll finish up here,” he assures, “We can order a pepperoni and olive pizza from that takeout place you love – Pizza Heaven, right? Then we can go to bed early. How’s that sound?”

“You remembered my order?” Magnus asks, and the smile Magnus gives him makes Alec want to confess his love for the man right then and there, but he holds his tongue.

“Of course, I only picked it up about two hundred times,” Alec smirks, and Magnus laughs, and the tension in the air evaporates.

“That’s fair,” Magnus replies, still chuckling, “Okay, I’m going to take an actual shower, order the pizza, and we can go pick it up when you’re done?”

“Sounds great,” Alec answers, leaning in for a quick kiss. It’s an intimate gesture, something they used to do all the time when they were together, and Alec worries for a second that he’s overstepped, but then Magnus kisses him back, soft and sweet.

“Thank you, Alexander,” he whispers against Alec’s lips, and then he’s up, stepping away and slipping through the door, leaving Alec glued in place, missing the other man’s warmth already. It takes a moment, but Alec eventually lifts himself off the bed and back over to the desk, sitting down in the office chair once again. He spends about twenty minutes reviewing the security footage, rewinding it back to earlier in the evening. He finds what he’s looking for and hits play, watches Camille drop down onto the balcony and pick the lock before sliding in. It looks too easy, and Alec makes a note to change all the locks in the loft. He does some more digging, watches Magnus leave the hospital, follows his Porsche on traffic cams, and realizes that no one is following him, at least, not that Alec can see. With a sigh, Alec picks up his phone to call Luke with an update, but it pings with a text before he can unlock it. The message is in code, and Alec has a feeling that it’s from Agent Santiago. He uses an FBI application to decode the message, which takes a few minutes. When he’s finished, what he reads makes him uneasy.

_Santiago [19:44]: I have more info for you. I think this case is bigger than we thought. Meet tonight?_

Alec types back quickly, sending the information through a scrambling application so it’s untraceable.

_Alec [19:46]: I’ll be at Pizza Heaven in one hour._

Alec curses, banging a fist on the desk. Does this mean he has to lie to Magnus again? He shakes his head, dialing Luke’s office number on his phone.

“Garroway.”

“Shadow.”

There’s a pause, then a dial tone as Luke swaps over to a secure line.

“Hey, kid,” he greets, “Whatcha got for us?”

“A lot,” Alec informs him, “Someone got into Magnus’ apartment tonight.”

“Is he okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, he’s fine now, I got here just in time.”

“In time?” Luke asks, “You weren’t there before? Alec, your whole job is to –.”

“Protect him, I know, but I was out meeting Santiago like you asked me to!”

“Watch your tone,” Luke warns, and Alec apologizes.

“You’re right, my bad, I’m just… this case is becoming more and more complicated by the day.”

“So, what happened? Who broke in?”

Alec gives Agent Garroway a rundown of the night’s events, including the Dot Rollins lead, the Camille Belcourt situation, and his last text from Raphael.

“Now, I’m supposed to meet Santiago in less than an hour, and Magnus is supposed to come with me –.”

“You can’t take an asset to a meetup, Alec.”

“But I very well can’t leave him alone, can I?”

Luke sighs, “You’re gonna have to figure it out, kid. This is what we trained you for, right?”

“The academy doesn’t teach you how to handle things when you fall in love on a mission,” Alec complains, leaning back in his chair.

“They just tell you not to,” Luke retorts.

Alec groans, and Luke chuckles.

“You’re in love with him, huh?”

It’s a question Alec hadn’t expected, but he’s not surprised that Luke asks him this. The man is his superior as much as he is his friend and mentor, so Alec decides to be honest.

“I am,” he states plainly.

“You want to tell him everything, don’t you?”

“ _So badly,”_ Alec answers, then he sits up, takes a breath. “But I know I can’t. I have to follow protocol.”

“That _is_ what Agent Fairchild would say,” Luke replies slyly, and Alec raises a brow.

“Isn’t that what the entire bureau would say?”

“Of course,” Luke states, his tone more lenient, and – okay, now Alec is confused.

“Luke, what are you telling me right now?”

“I’m just saying, I’ve been where you’re at.”

_Well, that’s new._

“You have?” Alec asks, incredulous. “How come you’ve never said anything until now!?”

“It’s not something I’m proud of,” he admits, “so it’s not something I talk about. I was young and stupid, and it almost got me killed, but I don’t regret the choices I made, and I’m still here.”

When Alec doesn’t respond, Luke continues, “You’re one of our top agents, and I trust that you will successfully complete this mission the best way that you can. But there’s the mission, and then there’s your _life._ Just remember to trust your gut, so you don’t end up doing something you regret.”

Alexander isn’t sure what to say to that. It’s not like Luke is giving him permission to go rogue, but it sounds like he’s telling him to follow his heart, which might actually be worse.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec finally tells Magus everything, including how he truly feels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent an entire day writing this chapter, and it's long. Merry quarantine, enjoy the early update! I know a lot of people were YELLING about when this would happen, so I hope it satisfies (:  
> PLEASE tell me your thoughts. I'm already halfway through the next chapter, so another update is coming soon! Thanks for reading!  
> xoxo, Edwina <3

“How about you let me drive?” Alec asks when they get to the car. He’s dressed casually, blue jeans and a black tee, leather jacket thrown on top, hiding the gun tucked into the back of his pants. He holds out an open palm toward Magnus, who quirks an eyebrow, his hand already on the driver side door.

“You offering to chauffer me to Pizza Heaven?”

Alec shrugs, big dopey smile on his face, and Magnus can’t help but smile, too. He’s not used to this – being _taken care_ of. He dropped a bomb on Alec earlier, a secret from his past that even _he_ hadn’t remembered until that day, an unfortunate mistake that he still feels guilty about. But Alec’s support, his comforting words, is helping to make him a little less miserable.

_There’s nothing ugly about you._

“You should relax,” Alec says, nonchalant, “You’ve had a long day.”

“I could say the same to you,” Magnus retorts, dropping the keys in the other man’s hands.

“Eh, I think you have me beat, Dr. Bane,” Alec jokes, opening the door and sliding into the car.

Magnus chuckles as he walks around the front of the car to get in on the passenger side.

“I didn’t realize we were competing, Agent Lightwood,” he says once they’re both inside. He adjusts his outfit and makes himself comfortable, having settled on a black pair of ripped jeans and a loose-fitting, olive-green top with long sleeves. It’s chillier than he anticipates for early October, and he shivers in his seat.

“It’s not a competition, but…” Alec pauses to push the start button and adjust the temperature in the car, even turns on the seat warmers. “Just, let me do this, okay? You take care of people all the time – let me take care of you.” 

Magnus’ heart swells. He senses that Alexander is being more open with him, more _vulnerable,_ and it speaks volumes to how far they’ve come. There’s still a lot of ground to cover, of course, and there’s still a little doubt in his heart, and they still haven’t discussed their relationship status, or what happens once this mission is over, but if Magnus thinks about all of that, he’ll overwhelm himself. So, he doesn’t. He pushes all the fear and doubt to the back of his mind, in order to enjoy this present moment with Alexander.

_“My Alexander.”_

Alec’s eyes widen a bit, and his cheeks pink up slightly, and Magnus realizes with a moderate degree of embarrassment that he just said that out loud. His mind searches for a way to redeem himself, but Alexander only smiles shyly and puts the car in drive.

The pizza place isn’t far, only ten minutes or so by car, depending on traffic. Magnus had suggested walking, but the agent insisted that it would be safer to drive, and who was Magnus to argue with his makeshift bodyguard? During the drive, however, Alec seems to grow more and more uncomfortable, sending Magnus nervous side glances every so often.

“Alexander, is… everything alright?” Magnus asks cautiously.

Alec sighs in a way that makes Magnus feel on edge, like he’s missing something.

“Have I done something wrong?”

“No, no, not you. Never you,” Alec promises, finding Magnus’ hand and squeezing. It doesn’t settle Magnus’ nerves, but it’s something. “There’s just… there are things I need to tell you, and I don’t want to upset you.”

They pull up to the small parking lot in front of the pizza shop. It’s located in a tiny pocket of the city, a little ways off the main road. The surrounding area is dark and quiet, but the light in the shop is always on. Through the smudged glass door, Magnus can see a couple tables and chairs, the pickup counter, and the cashier, clearly bored, leaning against the wall, playing on her phone. There’s only one other car parked in the lot; one Magnus is almost certain he’s seen before. The car flashes it’s lights once, and Alec does the same, flashing the headlights three times instead. He turns off the engine then, turning in his seat to face Magnus, face solemn.

“Okay, _what_ is going on? Are we even getting pizza?”

“Of course, we’re getting pizza, Magnus, don’t be ridiculous.” Magnus can tell Alec is trying to lighten the mood, but it doesn’t work. He knows this is serious, and he doesn’t want to play games anymore.

“Alec, _who_ is in that car?”

The taller man winces and brings a hand up to the back of his neck before responding.

“I got a text from a CIA contact. He asked me to meet him tonight so he can give me information on the case.”

Magnus doesn’t hide his disappointment. “So, all of this,” he gestures between them and points at the pizza shop, “was just a ploy so you could meet a contact? What am I, some side job?”

“What? No!”

“Just when I was starting to trust you again, after _everything_ I shared with you? I should have known –.”

“No, Magnus, please, hear me out,” Alec begs, and he looks so forlorn, Magnus decides to give him one chance to explain himself.

“Okay,” he huffs, crossing his arms, “Talk.”

Alexander takes a deep breath, makes a move like he’s reaching for Magnus’ hands but, upon realizing they aren’t available, backs away sheepishly.

“I’m not supposed to tell you this,” he starts, “and you’re going to have questions, but you’ve got to try and just let me talk; I want to get it all out in the open, okay? I’m sick of keeping secrets from you.”

Magnus raises a brow, but nods for Alec to continue.

“The agent I’m meeting, it’s Raphael. Raphael Santiago is CIA. He was assigned to do surveillance on you before they assigned the mission to me, and he’s been assisting on the case for a couple weeks now. I had no idea who he was when I met him, but once I found out, my supervisors suggested that he and I team up, help each other out. Two agencies are better than one, or whatever.”

Magnus blinks, digesting the information. He thinks back to meeting Raphael, running into him at Pandemonium, their first date, how much they made each other laugh, the movie nights, the lazy kisses on his couch, everything… _It was all a con._

Like he’s reading Magnus’ mind, Alec speaks up. “He fell for you, too, Magnus,” he says quietly, “I know you must feel so betrayed, and I understand, but he cares about you.”

Magnus scoffs, biting his lip to keep from crying. He squeezes his eyes shut and inhales deeply through his nose, lets it out slowly in an attempt to calm himself.

“This can’t be happening right now,” he utters, eyes still closed. He doesn’t know how much more of these _secrets_ he can take. “What _else_ is there?”

Alexander looks like he already regrets what he’s about to say, but he takes another deep breath and holds out his hands, palms up, toward Magnus. Magnus simply glances down at his hands, then back up to Alec, brows furrowed.

“Can I…” Alec looks at Magnus’ crossed arms, reaches for them, “Please?”

Magnus hesitates, but eventually he places his hands in Alec’s. It’s only then that he realizes that the agent is shaking.

“I know this is, literally, the _worst_ timing, but if I don’t tell you this now, I’m gonna lose all my nerve.”

There’s a pause, and Magnus waits patiently, anxiously, for Alexander to continue.

“Magnus, when I first heard they assigned me to your case, I dreaded seeing you again, because I was absolutely sure you’d hate me. I couldn’t even blame you if you did, because the last time I was here, I fucked everything up. I lied to you, and you deserve better than that.” Alec squeezes his eyes shut, head hanging low. “I always dreamt that I would meet a man like you, but I never expected it to happen while I was undercover on a mission, and I never imagined I’d be lucky enough to have a second chance with you.”

He looks up at Magnus then, and he looks so determined, so ready to accept whatever consequences may befall them after this. Magnus can feel his heart jackhammering against his ribs and wonders, briefly, if it’s possible to die from pure anticipation.

“After this case is over, I want to… I’m _going_ to find a way to stay in New York,” he continues, tripping over his words. Magnus breath hitches. “I’ll find a way, because… because I love you, Magnus Bane, and I don’t want to lose you again, I – I can’t.”

Everything Alexander says is muffled by the rushing in Magnus’ ears, but he hears every word, although he’s not sure if he can believe it. He feels Alec’s hands still shaking against his own sweaty palms and concentrates very hard on _not_ hyperventilating. He knew Alec’s feelings for him were strong, knew that he and Alec were growing closer as the days went by, but after the Camille incident, he figured all of that would be put on the backburner, that Alec would convert back to ‘agent mode’, focus on the case, and save the feelings for later. That would be the logical, sensible thing to do.

Which is precisely why the exact opposite is happening right now.

“You –,” Magnus rasps, shaking his head. _Breathe_. He clears his throat, tries again, “You love me?”

“I love you,” he repeats in a whisper, eyes wide and honest, “So much.”

Harsh breathing fills the silence between them, and then Magnus chokes on a sob, lets a hand fly to his mouth again to keep himself from breaking down completely, and Alec’s face falls.

“I’m so sorry,” he laments, reaching forward to caress the other man’s face, “Please don’t cry, Magnus, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to – _hrmph!_ ”

Magnus isn’t sure what comes over him, but he grabs Alexander by the lapels of his leather jacket and pulls him in for a kiss. He realizes, suddenly, that he’s waited for this moment for over a _year._ And, okay, it’s definitely not happening how he pictured it, not by a longshot. He imagined candles and flowers and a skyline sunset, but for a while, he didn’t think it would happen at all. Yet, despite everything, it’s _happening_. Alexander is back in his life, and he loves him, and he wants to _stay._ Magnus is filled to the brim with emotion, and he just keeps kissing Alec, hoping that the gesture articulates his feelings, because he’s not sure he can use words right now. 

When they finally come up for air, Alexander looks dazed, and relieved, and hopeful. Magnus imagines he looks about the same; he certainly feels that way.

“You’re an idiot,” he breathes, his lips still close to Alec’s.

“But?” Alexander comments, dragging his fingers up and down Magnus’s side. There’s a trace of a smile on his lips, and Magnus kisses him again.

“But I love you, too,” he announces.

Alec grins, eyes crinkling in that adorable way that they do, and Magnus laughs, shaking his head and bumping their noses together.

 _We’re in love,_ he thinks. _Finally._

The moment is broken by another flash of light from the car – Raphael’s car – across the lot. Magnus still isn’t sure how he feels about _that_ whole situation, but he figures he can think about it more at another time.

“That’s for me,” Alec states, detangling himself from Magnus. “I need you go inside the store to pick up the pizza, but don’t come back outside until I come get you. Okay?”

Alec gets out of the car and Magnus follows suit, closing the door behind him.

“Where will you be?” Magnus asks, concerned.

“Right out here, with Santiago,” Alec nods toward the other vehicle. He walks over to where Magnus is standing, keeping his voice low. “I’ll be in his car, so no one sees us exchanging information.”

Magnus looks around then, squinting to see in the dark, “Are people watching us?”

“We can never be too careful, but – hey,” Alec places a hand on the doctor’s upper arm, and Magnus looks back at him, a small shiver running up his spine. “We’ll be fine. I’ve got you.”

Alec takes off his jacket then, flinging it over Magnus shoulders. Magnus physically relaxes, wrapped in the warm leather, and Alec smiles at him again before sliding his hand into Magnus’.

“You’re so cheesy,” the doctor teases.

“Shut up,” Alec replies, sly smile on his lips.

They twist their fingers together, then Alec looks behind him and holds up a finger, signaling to Raphael.

“I’ve gotta go. I shouldn’t be long,” Alexander assures him, giving his fingers a squeeze before stepping back. “Remember, stay inside until I come get you.”

“Yes, agent,” Magnus croons, unable to help himself. Alec scoffs.

“ _Go,”_ he urges, and Magnus listens. He turns on his heel and walks toward the store’s entrance, glancing back once to see Alexander sliding into the passenger side of the other car. He turns back around to open the door to the pizza shop, waving to the cashier, who promptly puts her phone away and beams at him. Magnus strides up to the counter, tells the cashier his order, and signs the receipt she gives him. It only takes about a minute to get his pizza.

“We already made it, but we were keeping it warm for you,” the cashier explains.

“I appreciate that, thank you,” Magnus replies. He turns to leave, then remembers Alec’s instructions. He walks to the door and sees that both men are still in the other car. He spins back around.

“Hey, um, is it okay if I hang out in here for a while?” Magnus asks.

“Suit yourself,” cashier girl responds with a shrug, eyes already glued to her phone.

Magnus picks a seat by the wall, figuring that it’s probably best if he _isn’t_ visible through the door. He pulls out his phone and opens up a game to pass the time. After fifteen minutes, though, Magnus starts to get impatient. He considers texting Alec, just to see how much longer it’ll be. His keys are in the jacket Alec let him borrow, so he could always –

“What the hell is going on out there?”

The cashier’s voice pulls Magnus out of his thoughts, and he looks up to see her staring outside the door, phone laying forgotten on the counter. Curious, Magnus stands to walk toward the door, leaving his pizza on the table. What he sees makes his stomach drop.

Out in the parking lot, Magnus can see Alexander and Raphael, standing side by side with their guns drawn, surrounded by four or five other people that Magnus doesn’t recognize. An older man stands in their midst, facing both agents and holding a weapon at his side. The man’s back is to the building, so Magnus can’t make out his face, but he has a feeling this man is _not_ on their side.

“C-call 9-1-1!” he shouts frantically over his shoulder to the cashier. She scrambles to pick up her phone, dialing nervously. When Magnus turns back around, he sees the older man is marching toward the agents, and guns are raised all around. Fear runs like fire thorough Magnus’ veins, and suddenly he’s outside the door, marching toward the group of men. He can feel his magic building up inside of him, watches it fly out of his hands before he’s even sure what he’s doing, and there’s only one thing on his mind:

_Alexander._


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bullets and magic and someone gets hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TOLD YOU THE NEXT CHAPTER WAS COMING SOON. Our bbys are just NOT getting a break. (Mwahaha)  
> Enjoy! Leave me comments if you'd like, they make my day! Have a great week, hope you're all hanging in there. <3  
> xoxo, Edwina

An explosion of purple light flies through the air, catching them all off guard. Alec is as perplexed as everyone else for a millisecond before he realizes exactly what’s happening and curses. Using the distraction in his favor, Alec reaches out and grabs Raphael by the arm, scrambling to get them safely behind the car before bullets start flying.

This entire situation an absolute shit show, and Luke and Jocelyn are gonna have a fucking field day. That is, if he gets out of this alive.

The two men take a few seconds to catch their breath before crouching with their weapons drawn, anticipating the worst.

“That light, was that…?” Santiago questions suspiciously.

“Yeah.”

“ _Dios_ ,” he curses, “I still can’t believe you _brought him with you.”_

Alec huffs, checking his gun, “Look, I don’t need a lecture, okay? I need to get him _out_ of there. You can scold me all you want _after_ Magnus is safe!”

Alec is fully aware he’s being harsh because he’s _fucking terrified_ , but he doesn’t care. His heart is beating outside of his chest, with Magnus out there by himself, but from the sounds of it, Alec realizes, he may actually be holding his own.

“We’ve gotta get back out there,” Raphael suggests, “You go right, I’ll go left?”

“Hold on,” Alec pauses, remembering his training. He ducks, sliding his hands under the car. He aims carefully, then shoots at someone’s ankle. The bullet hits its target, there’s a groan, and a body drops to the ground with a thud.

“Nice,” Santiago comments, and then he’s rushing out from behind the car, two shots ringing out of his gun. “Go, I’ll cover you!” He yells, stepping forward, dodging a stray bullet, and shooting again.

For the first time, Alec is glad they recruited Raphael to assist on this case. He takes a breath, then sprints out from behind the car, weapon drawn defensively. The man he shot is still on the ground, and he kicks the gun on the concrete out of his reach before dropping quickly to knee him in the jaw for good measure. He doesn’t want to kill anyone if he doesn’t have to; his bullets tend to be deadly, and it would be nice to get at least a couple of these goons alive. He hears a grunt to his right and spins, lifts his arms to shoot at the man’s elbow. The gun drops immediately from his hand and the pain knocks him to the ground with a howl. There can’t be too many of them left, he thinks, finally lifting his head to look around. When he does, he catches sight of Magnus, and all the air leaves his lungs.

Magnus is wrapped in a glowing dome of blue light, surrounding him like a giant force field. His arms are raised in front of him and he stands firm, but Alec can tell he’s frightened, and honestly, so is Alec. He has no idea how long Magnus’ magic lasts, or how strong it is, or how much he has, but right now it’s _working,_ and while Alec is still filled with dread, pride wells up in his chest.

Then, Magnus’ force field fizzles out, dropping suddenly, and the gut-wrenching feeling of dread comes back in a wave. The only thing that keeps Alexander from losing his cool is the gun in his hand. He can still protect Magnus, and he no longer cares if any of these bastards live or die, not in this moment. In this moment, all that matters is _saving Magnus._

“Lightwood!”

Raphael’s voice comes from behind him, warning him, and Alec turns around, only to get clocked in the face with the handle of a gun. He hears his weapon clatter to the ground, fallen from his hands, and then someone’s on top of him, knee to his chest. Usually, he’d love a good hand-to-hand brawl, but he’s _really_ not in the mood.

The assailant on top of him still has a gun, which is a problem. Alec plants his foot firmly underneath him, using all the strength in his lower body to push upward with a grunt. The move is enough to knock the assailant off balance, and they both topple to the side. He elbows the other man in the face, sees blood drip from his nose as they grapple for the gun. Alec almost has it, but this guy is quick, grabs the handle with one hand and rolls away before Alec can fight for it. The agent jumps to his feet, a little dizzy from the blow to his head, and reaches down for the gun on his ankle. He’s pulling it out of the holster when he looks up and sees the goon who attacked him, pointing a gun to his head.

In that moment, Alec thinks of turning to look at Magnus, thinks maybe he’ll have time to say one more _I love you_ before the bullet reaches his brain, kills him on sight, but then the ground rumbles, and a giant wall of light slams against them.

Alexander feels his entire body lift into the air as he is flung straight back into the side of a car. He lands with a crash and gets the wind knocked out of him, which is a _bitch,_ because now he can hardly breathe. He tries regaining some sense of composure, but the pain that shoots through his limbs when he attempts to move is excruciating and he grits his teeth, stilling himself; something is _definitely_ broken. He’s still struggling when he feels someone kneel down next to him, trembling hands checking him over.

“No, no no…Alec? Alexander! Oh, god, what have I done,” he hears, and it’s a voice he would recognize anywhere. He wants to open his eyes, but the throbbing at the back of his skull makes it a challenge. 

“Magnus,” he wheezes, his throat sore and tight.

“Hey! Hey, oh thank God, I’m right here, Alexander, I’m here. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know what I was doing, I – oh, god,” Magnus rambles. He’s close, Alec can tell, he can feel his breath on his cheek, hands checking his face. He sounds horrified. “I thought I could help; I saw that man with – with his gun and you…” He takes a shaky breath, runs a gentle hand through Alec’s hair. “I couldn’t let them hurt you, I had to do something. Alec, please forgive me, I’m so sorry.”

Alec wants to say something, wants to assure Magnus that none of this is his fault, tell him that if he hadn’t used his magic, Alec would probably have a bullet in his skull, but then someone else is there.

“Is he okay?” Raphael asks, clearly concerned. “Are _you_ okay?”

It’s Magnus who replies, “Um, I… Yeah, I think so. What about you?”

“That blast sent me rolling into the grass, so I’m fine. I’m more worried about Lightwood. You there, man?”

Two fingers press into the side of his neck and Alec groans.

“Alright, we’ve got to move; I don’t know how safe we are here. One of the guys got away.”

_Great._

“I’m afraid to move him,” Magnus argues, “I don’t know how much damage there is. Alec? Do you think you can get up?”

Alec grunts, squeezing his eyes tight, trying to move again. He manages to bend one knee, and the pain that accompanies the movement is enough to make him so nauseous he thinks he might vomit. He doesn’t, thankfully; he’s certain he’d pass out if that happened. Although, things are already a little fuzzy.

“He’s useless,” he hears Raphael say, and he’d flip the agent off is he had any energy to move his arm. Even if he doesn’t mean to be offensive, everything out of Agent Santiago’s mouth sounds like an insult. Alec wonders briefly what Magnus saw in him in the first place. “We’re gonna have to do it.”

“Wait, let me try something,” Magnus proposes, adjusting his position. “Okay, Alexander,” he says, “This shouldn’t hurt.”

A moment passes, and the soreness in Alec’s face subsides. He still hurts everywhere else, but it’s a start. He opens his eyes slowly, one before the other, and sees Magnus crouching low next to him, yellow magic emanating from his hands and working its way down his body. Magnus moves his hands methodically, and the magic pulses in tandem with his ministrations. When he finishes, he looks back up at the FBI agent, and their eyes meet.

“Alexander,” he breathes, ring-clad hand sliding up to caress his cheek.

“Hey,” Alec manages, voice rough.

“How do you feel?” Raphael asks. He stands a few feet away, looking around warily. He still has a gun in his hands. “Can you move?”

The agent stretches his neck, then tries to move his arms and legs. His muscles ache, and his left wrist is definitely fractured, but he can move if he has some help.

“Not on my own,” Alec concludes, “My wrist is broken, and I don’t have a lot of strength.” 

“I thought you fixed him?” Santiago turns to Magnus, who scoffs.

“My magic isn’t infinite, Raphael,” he explains, tone bitter. “I used a lot of it, it takes time to come back full force. I stopped his bleeding, healed anything superficial… I did what I could, okay? He’s stable.” 

“You did enough,” Alec intercedes, getting Magnus’ attention. The doctor looks at him with wide eyes, worry marring his features. “You did great.”

“Did I? Alexander, I hurt you. I lost control, _again,_ and now –.”

“And now I’m alive, we all are, thanks to _you._ ”

Magnus shakes his head, tears forming in his eyes, “What if… what if I had…I can’t even fathom—!”

Alec hushes him, reaching out with his good arm to place an open hand over the skin on the side of Magnus’ neck. “Magnus, it’s okay,” he assures, “You were trying to help, and you _did_.”

Magnus looks at him with equal parts hope and disbelief. Alec smiles at him, rubbing his thumb along Magnus’ jawline in an attempt to comfort him. The older man closes his eyes at the touch, then leans forward so that their foreheads are touching.

“I’m so proud of you,” Alec whispers into the space between them, “You were amazing.”

A wet laugh escapes the doctor, and relief floods Alec right then. Magnus, _his Magnus,_ is safe and alive and right in front of him – no one took him away, none of the bullets got to him, no one lay a hand on him – he’s fine. The realization hits him like a shock to the heart, and suddenly he’s tugging Magnus closer until their lips meet for a kiss. He knows it’s inappropriate, knows it’s _not_ the time, knows Santiago is gonna give him shit for it later, but he can’t help himself. What can he say? He’s in love.

“Okay, lovebirds, we’ve gotta get out of here. _Now._ ” Raphael’s voice breaks through the haze Alec is in, and he hears sirens in the distance.

“Shit,” Magnus curses suddenly, “I had the cashier call the police, I didn’t think –.”

“That’s fine, we just can’t be here when they arrive,” Raphael explains, “I’m not supposed to be on this case, and we can’t have them suspecting that you’re a Magician. Look, your hands are still glowing.”

Alec looks down and, sure enough, Magnus hands spark with yellow magic every few seconds.

“I don’t…” Magnus lifts his hands to his face, confusion clear in his voice, “That’s new.”

“Maybe it’s because you’ve used too much of it?” Alec suggests.

“Sure, whatever, we can discuss that later. Right now, let’s _go,”_ Agent Santiago insists _,_ “Toss me your keys and help me get him in the car.”

Together, Raphael and Magnus lift Alec to his feet, which feels less than great, but Alec manages. He stumbles into the back seat, wincing at the pain in his arm. Magnus slides in next to him before he pulls the door shut. They decide to take the Porsche, Raphael admitting that he’s always kept his car under an alias, so it won’t be traced back to him unless he wants it to. The CIA agent gets into the driver’s seat and starts the car, peeling away from the lot with a screech. The jolt makes Alec wince again, muscles tensing. Magnus gives him a sympathetic look before pulling him close, looking him up and down.

“What else hurts?” he asks, worried expression on his face, “I can try and use my magic to help some of the pain.”

“Magnus, you’re _depleted,_ ” Alec reminds him, “It can’t be safe to keep using your magic like this.”

“It’s not,” Magnus confesses, “But I hate seeing you like this. All beat up and bruised…all because of me. I have to do _something._ ”

“Stop that,” Alec orders, frowning. “You can’t keep blaming yourself, Magnus. _None of this_ is your fault, okay? We knew what we were getting ourselves into.”

“Speak for yourself,” Raphael comments from the front of the car.

“Shut up, Santiago,” Alec barks back. Another sharp turn jostles him, and he hisses. “Are you always such an ass?”

“Only to you, agent,” Raphael retorts.

“Where are we going?” Magnus inquires, pulling Alec back against him protectively.

Alec lets him, relaxing as much as he can into his warmth without his muscles screaming in protest. He closes his eyes against another growing headache, exhaustion overwhelming him without warning. He knows he can’t fall asleep, so he tries to keep his eyes open, tries to hear what Raphael is saying, tries not to worry about the fact that his operation is currently in shambles, and it’s all proving quite a challenge. He doesn’t know how someone got the jump on them tonight but has a feeling that this case is only going to get messier from here on out. He should be more distressed, especially in his current state, but then Magnus kisses his temple, and his worries dissipate. Whatever is next for them, he’ll deal with it all; he’ll do whatever it takes to keep Magnus safe.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Car rides, safe houses, wrist splints, and a break in the case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys. I'm so excited about where I'm gonna take this fic case-wise. Obviously you will still get your malec scenes and angst and fluff BUT I wanna have a great plot in there too! It's definitely going to be longer than I planned, but so many of you are enjoying it and I hope it's worth the read! Please let me know what you think!  
> xoxo, Edwina (:

“I’m dropping you off at a CIA safe house,” Raphael announces. “It’s not ideal, since this isn’t an official CIA case, but it’ll do for now. You both need to lay low for a little while, at least until Lightwood here heals up.”

Magnus tenses, “How long is a while?” he asks, trying (and failing) to keep the panic out of his voice. Now that they aren’t being shot at, Magnus is starting to understand the gravity of the situation as a whole, and while he prides himself on being levelheaded, he’s not sure if it’s possible to go through something like this and _not_ freak out. “What about my job? I can’t just stop showing up at the hospital.”

“No way to know for sure how long,” Raphael answers, unimpressed, “Can’t you just call in sick until further notice?”

“I mean, yes, but I have to go back at some point,” Magnus insists, rolling his eyes. _This guy is impossible._ “I’m the chief, other residents count on me, and my patients need –.”

“Magnus, it’s okay,” Alexander says, stretching to sit up straighter. He winces with each movement, but soon settles somewhat comfortably, cradling his left wrist and holding it close to his chest. “I know your job is important, but your safety is the priority here.”

The doctor sighs, “I know, I know, this is all just… it’s _insane._ We could have _died_ out there!” 

“But we didn’t,” Alexander reminds him.

“Let’s try and keep it that way,” Raphael adds.

“I don’t know how you people live like this,” Magnus comments, mostly to himself. He almost feels like a third wheel among the two agents, the only one with a somewhat normal life. Then again, he _is_ a Magician, so he really has no room to talk. “Who the hell were those guys? What did they want?”

“He sure asks a lot of questions,” Raphael deadpans from the front seat.

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here,” Magnus bites, annoyed. It’s the agent’s tone that sets him off, like he’s _better,_ just because he’s CIA, like Magnus is some clueless damsel. The softness Magnus used to associate with Raphael seems to have disappeared, along with the man he once leaned on and confided in. “If I recall correctly, you used to admire my curiosity, even thought it was adorable, but I suppose everything about our relationship was a lie, too, right?”

“ _Magnus,”_ Alexander warns from beside him, giving him a look that says, _Not now._

“It’s fine, I deserved that,” Raphael says, glancing up at the rearview mirror to catch the doctor’s eyes. He looks back at the road before continuing. “It wasn’t all a lie,” he admits, “But still, you deserved better, Magnus.” He looks up again, “ _Lo siento_.”

“You’re damn right I deserved better,” he grumbles in response, looking away from the eyes in the mirror. Sure, it sounded like a heartfelt apology, but the man is a trained agent, how is Magnus supposed to believe a word that comes out of his mouth now? Is he supposed to forgive him? He used to trust him, but so much has changed since then.

Raphael makes a sharp turn that shakes Magnus out of his thoughts right before the vehicle comes to a stop in the driveway of an ordinary looking, two-story house. The house is off the main road and surrounded by forestry, with the closest neighbors a good mile away. Magnus isn’t sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

“We’re here,” Raphael announces, putting the car in park and shutting off the engine.

“Anyone ever tell you that you’re a shit driver?” Alec comments as he moves to undo his seatbelt and climb out the car. Raphael ignores the comment but stands at the car door to help Alec into a standing position. Magnus follows, placing Alec’s right arm around his neck gently. The three of them hobble to the front of the house, Raphael walking ahead to open the door. Instead of a key, however, Magnus sees him lift a panel on the wall next to the door to reveal a keypad and a scanner. The agent types in a code, then he places an open palm against a metal handprint reader. There’s a beep, and a click, and the door opens. Before Magnus can dwell too long on the fact that his life has now become a spy film, Raphael ushers them inside and locks the door behind them.

Magnus helps Alexander settle onto the couch in the middle of the living room, plopping down next to him and taking a look around. Just like the outside of the house, the inside is just as ordinary – the walls are beige and empty, there’s a large bookshelf against the back wall, the overall décor is minimal, and the hardwood floors are in need of a shine. The brown leather couch they’re sitting on is part of a set, with a matching loveseat and recliner arranged on opposite sides of the room. The wooden coffee table in front of the couch sits on a thin vintage rug, the type of rug someone would likely see at their grandmother’s house. There are a few windows along the wall, blinds closed, a small flat screen television across from the couch, and a tall lamp in the corner.

“There’s a bathroom and two bedrooms upstairs, and probably some spare clothes in the closets if you want to change,” Raphael comments from the kitchen, a room that looks like it’s ten-years overdue for a renovation. He flips a light on and opens the refrigerator briefly before closing it again. “There’s water and beer in the fridge, and food in the cupboards and the pantry, use whatever you need. I’ll be in the basement.”

“Doing what?” Alexander asks, watching him with his eyebrows raised.

“Trying to clean up this mess,” Raphael declares, striding toward what Magnus assumes in the basement door. He opens in, then pauses. “I’m going to reach out to my contacts, see what I can dig up. In the meantime, you should update Dr. Bane and your supervisors on the situation, and please, try not to injure yourself any further.”

“Since when do you call the shots?” Alec says, standing from the couch. Magnus rushes to help keep him upright when he sways slightly. “This is still _my_ case.”

“No one’s taking your case from you, Lightwood,” Raphael huffs, “My agency told me to help you, so that’s what I’m doing.”

“By hiding in the basement?” Magnus questions, and Raphael rolls his eyes.

“If you _must_ know, the basement in this safehouse is filled with local CIA resources and gadgets and surveillance tools and other fun, classified things. Try not to come down unless one of you is dying; my bosses would have my head on a platter if they knew I let an FBI agent and his civilian, Magician boyfriend in here at all. Let’s not make this any harder than it needs to be, _bueno?_ ”

“Whatever,” Magnus scoffs, turning to Alexander once Raphael closes the basement door. “Let’s get you cleaned up then, what do you say?”

Alec looks down at himself, as if noticing the blood and dirt all over his clothes and skin for the first time.

“Oh, right,” he nods, then looks up again, “We should probably also find a first-aid kit? Since your magic didn’t uh, fully heal everything.”

Magnus can’t help his frown. “Of course,” he agrees, stalking toward the kitchen, leading Alexander along by his right hand. He sits the agent down at the round wooden table in the breakfast nook, then rummages around through the cupboards in the kitchen for a first-aid kit. Eventually, he finds one, and sits down next to Alexander, flipping the kit open on the table and taking out its components.

Magnus motions for Alec to give him his hand, and he complies, laying the back of his hand gently on the table. Magnus gets to work, first palpating both the radial and ulnar pulse points, then popping an ice pack and placing it on the injured area.

“You were a little harsh on Santiago back there,” Alexander speaks up suddenly, clearing his throat. “In the car, I mean.”

“What? Oh, that. Yeah, well, I’m not about to just let him off the hook because he’s CIA.” Magnus answers, pulling a bandage roll from the kit.

“He was just doing his job, Mags. Just like I was.”

Magnus scoffs. “What, you’re on his side, now?”

“Babe, we’re all on the same side,” Alec sooths, clearly not wanting to pick a fight. “He and I both want to keep you safe.”

“I’m not some damsel in distress, you know.”

“I am _well_ aware of that. We both are, trust me. You saved our lives.”

Magnus glances up and sees Alexander smiling at him, so he smiles back, before turning his attention to the swollen wrist in front of him. _Sure,_ he thinks, _saved your life and almost broke you in the process._

“How did you do that, by the way?” Alec asks, “Your magic, how did you get it to work like that?”

“I’m not sure,” Magnus states, adjusting the splint on Alexander’s arm, “It just came out of me. I saw all those guys with guns, and you were standing there, in the middle of it all, and I… I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing.” He avoids Alec’s gaze, finding scissors in the first aid kit and cutting the splint board down to proper size. “I needed to make sure you were safe.”

Alexander chuckles, and Magnus looks up at him, confused.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Alec insists, biting his lip.

Magnus arches a brow in a way that says, _bullshit,_ and Alec concedes.

“Alright, I was just thinking of how I’m supposed to be the one taking care of you, and all night long you’ve been taking care of me.”

Magnus huffs a laugh, “I have some magic and a medical degree, I’m just doing what I can to help. You’re the one with years of FBI training and a gun.” 

“Neither of those things would have helped me if that guy had shot me in the head.”

The thought of a bullet hitting Alexander in such a lethal manner makes Magnus’ breath catch for a moment. He fingers freeze at the memory, seeing the love of his life with a gun to his head, and he closes his eyes for a few seconds to regain his composure. _Alec is alive Alec is fine Alec is right in front of you,_ he thinks, then he exhales, and opens his eyes again, focusing on Alec’s wrist once more.

“I’m sorry about all of this,” Alec apologizes as Magnus lifts his left arm, pulling it closer to assess the damage. He starts to wrap it, then glances up and smiles at Alexander before responding.

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” Magnus starts, but Alec shakes his head.

“I do,” he counters, “I shouldn’t have taken you with me to meet Santiago. I knew it would put you at risk, and I did it anyway. It was reckless, and stupid, and –.”

“Hey,” Magnus interrupts, “There’s no way you could have known –.”

“But I should have,” Alexander stresses, banging the table with the fist that isn’t currently being wrapped by Magnus. “Raphael knew. He practically bit my head off for bringing you with me.”

Magnus pauses wrapping Alec’s wrist and blinks, “He knew we’d get attacked? How?”

Alexander sighs, “He knew it was a possibility. The information he had for me – there’s a guy who might be a big piece of this whole mess, his name is Valentine Morgenstern. Does that name ring a bell?”

Magnus starts to shake his head no, adding a bandage clip to the now completed splint on Alec’s arm, but then, he remembers.

“Wait…wait, wait, wait, Morgenstern,” Magnus mutters, pinching the bridge of his nose, “I’ve heard that name before, years ago, I just… dammit, what was it?”

“Just think, was it a name you came across at school?” Alexander offers, “Maybe at work?”

“It’s a patient name,” Magnus remembers suddenly, “A patient came into the emergency department with that name, I know it, I remember seeing it in a chart, or on the board, I just can’t think of why they came in.”

“Did he look like the man we saw today?” Alec asks, whipping out his phone with his good hand and pulling up a photo profile. He shows the screen to Magnus. “Was this him?”

“No…I think the patient was younger than that,” Magnus says, staring at the photo on the screen, willing his mind to remember. “That’s the man from tonight, the one who got away, that’s Valentine Morgenstern?”

“Yes. He’s been on the CIAs radar for a while, but he’s been in hiding. Apparently, he’s been building an underground following of people who believe in his anti-Magician bullshit. Did you know that there are websites dedicated to spewing hate about Magicians?”

Magnus swallows and shakes his head, because he didn’t know that. He shouldn’t be so surprised, but since there are so little Magicians in existence at any given time, he never imagined that anyone would waste their time hating them. “One of Raphael’s guys were able to follow an online trail and hack into their network,” Alexander continues, “but we’re still trying to figure out exactly what they’re planning. Raphael thought they might come after you, he thinks Camille is involved somehow, that she was trying to lure you out.”

“Lure me out? They… did they…?” Magnus gasps, unable to say the words, “They wanted to –?”

“Kill you? No, we don’t think that’s their endgame,” Alec assures, leaning into the doctor’s space, reaching up to place a comforting hand on the back of Magnus’ neck. Magnus relaxes minutely. “Valentine is a sick sonofabitch, but he’s not dropping bodies. If so, the FBI would know about him. We’re thinking he’s more into stalking, and maybe abduction.”

“Like that’s any better?”

“I know, it’s not, but we just don’t have enough information right now to know anything for sure. The fact that you’ve heard the name before, though, that’s something. That’s big.”

“If I just had access to the hospitals electronic medical record, I could look him up. If I can read his chart, I’ll remember who he is.” Magnus curses, annoyed at himself, “I hardly ever forget a patient, of course the one time my _life_ is in danger, my memory fails.”

“It’ll come to you,” Alexander says with determination, “We’ll figure this out together.”

Alec smiles at him then, and although Magnus is worried about a million things right now – his safety, his apartment, Camille, Valentine, his job, his patients, his friends, Alexander – the weight of it all lifts slightly as the younger man pulls him into a hug, fingers scratching lightly at the base of his neck to calm him.

“I love you,” Magnus breathes, and the words come so naturally to him that he almost doesn’t realize it’s only the second time he’s said them to Alexander. Alec, in turn, squeezes him a little tighter, placing a kiss right below his ear.

“I love you, too,” the agent whispers against his skin.

They hold each other for a while, until Alec pulls away, much to Magnus’ disappointment, but he knows that they have work to do.

“We’d better get Raphael up here with a computer,” Alexander proposes, standing and making his way toward the basement door. “The sooner we figure out who this Morgenstern guy really is, the sooner we end this."


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, more answers only lead to more questions...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S HERE. When I tell y'all I've been trying to write this chapter ALL MONTH LONG. *collapses with exhaustion* I hope you enjoy! We're moving the plot along, folks. Please comment if you so desire! Thank you for reading and sticking with me! <3

“This _so_ isn’t legal,” Magnus states, glancing worriedly at the computer screen on the kitchen table. He bites his nails nervously, chipping some of the polish. “Looking up patient information from outside the hospital is a criminal offense. I could lose my license for this. My entire career, just – poof! Gone!”

“Is he always this dramatic?” Raphael comments, eyes never leaving the laptop in front of him.

All three men are gathered in the small kitchen as the CIA agent breaks a number of laws hacking into the secure medical record system at Magnus’ hospital.

Magnus glares at the back of Raphael’s head and Alec rolls his eyes. “You’re _not_ going to lose you license, Mags,” Alec promises, trying to calm the doctor. “Listen, it would have been too risky to try and get this information directly from inside the hospital. Thankfully, since most patient files are digital these days, Santiago should have no problem getting us what we need from here.”

“I still don’t like this,” Magnus huffs, fidgeting with the rings on his fingers.

“The CIA has ways of getting around a little HIPAA violation, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Raphael boasts, fingertips flying across the keyboard, “You’ll be fine. _Cálmate._ ”

“They’ll know there’s been a security breech,” Magnus comments from where he’s pacing back and forth behind him, to which Raphael simply shrugs, fingers still typing away.

“Eventually, yes, they might find out that someone had unauthorized access to a few patient files, but probably not.”

“Probably?” Alec asks, raising an eyebrow, “If we get caught, we might tip off Valentine and ruin this entire operation. Who knows who he has working for him? Our only advantage is that he thinks we don’t have anything on him.”

“I’m well aware of the risks, Lightwood,” Raphael snaps across from him, clearly annoyed, “Lucky for you, I’m good at my job.”

“Wait,” Magnus pauses his pacing, turning toward Alec, “You think someone at the hospital is…what, spying for Valentine?”

Alec sighs, knowing Magnus won’t like his working theory. “At this point, anyone you come into contact with on a regular basis is a suspect.” Magnus makes a face like he wants to protest, and Alec puts a hand up. “Just hear me out. I’ve been thinking, and the fact that Camille tried to attack you on the _one day_ you were home early from work _can’t_ be a coincidence. Plus, when Valentine ambushed us, he was looking for you. I’m not sure how he could have known you’d be with me unless someone else told him.”

“What if Camille is working for him? She said she had a boss who would come after us, she probably gave him a heads up about you.”

“I thought so, too, at first, but it happened way too fast. Camille has been in custody since her arrest, there’s no way she could have contacted Valentine so soon.”

“What if he has spies?” Magnus argues, becoming more distressed, “Whoever was taking those creepy pictures of me must be on his side, right? Maybe they saw us, maybe that’s how they knew?”

“I think it’s more than that, Magnus,” Alec says calmly, “Camille knew we were together before. She’s been here for years and waited until now to make herself known. There has to be something else going on, it’s just too convenient. You said it yourself, Valentine might have spies, and maybe they did see us, but I think whoever is spying for him is close to you. I think someone is feeding Valentine information from the inside.”

“So, you’re saying that one of my friends is actually a spy,” Magnus concludes, staring at Alec like he hopes he will tell him that he’s wrong, but Alec can only nod solemnly. It’s the only thing that makes sense to Alec right now; someone who knows Magnus would know his schedule, they would know where he hangs out, they would know his romantic history, and they would know that Alec is back and living with him. They’d have access to Magnus because Magnus would trust them, and trust is a dangerous weapon.

“I’m in.”

Alexander and Magnus both turn to face Agent Santiago, who points smugly at the screen.

“Here’s a list of every patient with the name Morgenstern who’s visited the Emergency Department since you started working there.”

“There’s so many,” Alec observes, sliding the laptop closer to him and scrolling through the names, “Can we narrow it down?”

“Yes,” Magnus confirms, seemingly more on board now, “Raphael, can you filter for white males, ages 18 to 25, who were listed as expired sometime within the past four years?”

Raphael hums in agreement, snatching the laptop back from Alec to plug in the correct filters. The computer beeps with the new results, and to everyone’s surprise, there’s only one name listed.

“Jonathan Morgenstern,” Alec reads aloud, looking back at Magnus, “Does that name ring a bell?”

Magnus squints at the screen, then leans forward to double-click on the name. The chart opens up, and Magnus clicks around, reads what looks like a short history on the patient, then he goes to a section filled with notes, all written by different healthcare providers. He scrolls, eyes searching for something, although Alec isn’t sure what until he pauses with a gasp.

“That’s you, isn’t it?” Santiago asks, nodding at the screen, where Magnus’ name appears in bold letters, “You wrote that note?”

“It would appear so,” Magnus answers slowly, looking slightly confused. He opens the note and starts to read, brows furrowed in concentration. Alec is about to ask if anything is coming back to him when he suddenly bolts upright.

“He’s Clary’s brother,” Magnus breathes, blinking at the screen, “He came into the ED after a car accident, we couldn’t save him, we tried everything but…he didn’t make it.”

“I’m sorry, Magnus,” Alec says softly, “That must have been difficult.”

“Death is part of the job,” the doctor replies, leaning back against the kitchen island. “It was harder on all of us because Clary had to suffer through it. We weren’t even sure she’d want to come back.”

“You never told me about it,” Alec prods, only a little hurt that Magnus wouldn’t share something like that with him, be he knows he has no right to feel hurt at all, not after all he’s hidden from him.

“It happened in first year,” Magnus responds, “Before you. Besides, Jonathan was never my patient, but it was an all hands on deck situation, so I did my best to help.”

“But Clary isn’t a Morgenstern,” Raphael interjects, “Her last name is Fray.”

“He was her half-brother. Wait, how do you even know that?”

“I told him,” Alec admits, “I had to research everyone in your life in order to rule them out as threats. I filled Santiago in on what I knew when I recruited him for help. I should have told you, I’m sorry.” 

Magnus stares incredulously at both agents, as if he’s trying to figure out whether or not he should be upset. Then he narrows his eyes at Alec, and the agent knows he’s screwed.

“Unbelievable,” he says, shaking his head, “You just can’t help yourself, can you? Does the FBI teach you to keep _everything_ from the people you love?”

“I mean, technically...” Raphael utters dryly.

At that, Magnus throws his hands up in defeat and marches out of the kitchen.

“Magnus, wait –!” Alec tries, standing to stop Magnus from leaving, but to no avail. It’s Raphael that grabs his upper arm, holding him in place.

“I need a minute!” Magnus yells back, already making his way upstairs.

“Really, Santiago?” Alec grunts, ripping his arm away and trying not to wince at the pain of it.

“He asked for a minute. Give him some time to realize that we’re just trying to help. He’s easy to reason with when he’s less pissed.”

Alec plops back down in his chair with a sigh. He doesn’t want to admit it, but he knows Raphael is right.

“Fine,” he says, begrudgingly, “So, do we think this dead Jonathan is related to Valentine somehow?”

“He has to be, it’s too much of a coincidence. What are the chances that a Morgenstern gets in an accident and ends up at the same hospital Bane works at, and years later someone with the same name is after him? All the while, the guy’s sister is one of Bane’s best friends? Something is definitely going on here.”

“Oh, no,” Alec groans, putting the pieces together, “What if Clary is in on it?”

Raphael scoffs, “Then she’s excellent at what she does, because I never would have suspected her if we didn’t know about Valentine. Her records are clean, she keeps a low profile, and she and Magnus are so close, there’s no way he’d even _imagine_ that she would betray him.”

“Alright, let’s say she’s part of all of this. What does her dead brother have to do with anything?”

“Well, Valentine has gotta be Jonathan’s father. Maybe he’s her father, too.”

“Shit,” Alec curses, “Why are they targeting Magnus?”

“Well, Valentine has some sort of grudge against all Magicians, right? Clary somehow finds out that Magnus is one, gets close to him, and tells Valentine about him?”

“Then what, just pretends to be his friend for years? The timing is so random, what was he waiting for all this time?”

“Well, the pictures of Magnus didn’t show up until earlier this year, right? They probably didn’t even think Magnus was a Magician until we did. Maybe they just needed confirmation.”

Alec shakes his head, “It’s gotta be more than that. All of this is just too convenient. When did you say Valentine showed up on your radar again?”

“About three years ago…” Raphael grabs the computer again, clicking through Jonathan’s chart. Then he clicks over to a different screen, typing quickly until – “I knew it!”

“Care to share?” Alexander asks impatiently.

“Valentine showed up here around the same time that this Jonathan guy died – during Magnus’ first year working at that hospital. Clary’s, too. There’s no way that’s a coincidence.”

“It’s not,” Alec agrees, while his mind races to find another connection, another reason why Magnus would be a target for all these years. It doesn’t take long to come to him when he thinks back to what else changed three years ago, and he’s a little shocked that he didn’t think about it until now. 

“You remembered something,” Raphael states, reading his face. _Damn CIA agents._ “What is it?”

“That’s the same year Magnus was recruited as an FBI asset. I remember reading it in his file when I was undercover.”

“They recruited an intern?” Raphael asks, like he’s offended. “I know Magnus is highly intelligent, but he had no real medical experience at the time. Why would they recruit a rookie?”

Alexander leans back in his chair and blinks. Why _would_ they recruit an intern? He never gave it a second thought until now, but it doesn’t make much sense.

Just then, Alec’s phone rings loudly from his pocket. The screen is cracked when he pulls it out, probably a result of the fight in the parking lot.

“It’s my supervisor,” Alec tells Raphael.

“You should ask him about this. Maybe it’ll get us some answers.”

Alec nods, standing from the chair and making his way to the front door. He steps onto the porch but leaves the door ajar as to not get locked out. He leans against the railing with his hip and taps his phone screen with a finger, then brings the phone to his ear.

“Shadow,” he says.

“Hey, kid,” Luke whispers, and Alec is immediately on edge.

“Luke? What’s going on?”

“Nothing, yet,” he replies, “But I can’t risk being overheard if I’m right.”

“Right about what?”

There’s a pause, and then Luke takes a deep breath. “I think Jocelyn has gone rogue.”

Alec opens his mouth to respond, then closes it, because he can’t believe what he just heard, and has no idea how to respond. He tries again.

“I’m sorry, _what?_ ”

“Agent Fairchild has been MIA since the last time you and I spoke to her.”

Alec’s stomach drops. “Luke, that was _weeks ago_.”

“I know. She hasn’t been seen or heard from since then, her tracker is off, and her phones have all been disconnected,” Luke discloses, voice still low over the phone. “The bureau thinks she’s been compromised, taken hostage, but there’s been no demands. They’ve sent agents to her last known locations and several safehouses, but there’s no trace of her.”

“You think she’s been playing us?” Alec covers his face with one hand and sighs. “She’s been with the FBI for more than ten years, she practically _runs_ the Special Humans Division, if she’s been scheming this entire time, then –.”

“We’re screwed, I know,” Luke finishes. “I needed to tell you in case she tries to contact you, thinking that you don’t know.”

“Why would she…? Wait, Luke, do you know who recruited Magnus as an asset?”

“What does that have to do with –?”

“Just, humor me, would you? Raphael and I are working on a theory. I _am_ still on this case, right?”

“As far as I know, they’re keeping Jocelyn’s disappearance under wraps, keeping her operations running and her agents in the field as to not cause any panic.”

“Right, of course they are,” Alec groans, “So, can you tell me who recruited him?”

“Yeah, give me a second,” Luke replies. Alec hears him set the phone down, then there are drawers opening and papers shuffling before Agent Garroway picks the phone back up.

“I’ve kept Dr. Bane’s file in my desk since we sent you to New York, and I haven’t looked through it until now, but it’s a good thing I did.”

“Why, did you find something?”

Luke sighs, “Yeah. There’re two copies of Bane’s initial recruitment paperwork in here. The first one is heavily redacted.”

“Redacted?” Alec furrows his brows. _That’s odd._

“And I guarantee you the digital copy is redacted, as well,” Luke continues, “But, lucky for us, the second copy is the original, and it looks like… oh, _shit_.”

“What?” Alec asks, anxiety pooling in his gut, “What is it?”

“It was Jocelyn. She recruited Magnus.”

“Oh, my God,” Alec mutters, trying his best not to assume the worst, but when he tells Luke about what he and Raphael have figured out, the worst-case scenario sounds more like the truth. He explains everything that’s happened since they last spoke, tells Luke about Valentine and Jonathan, shares his suspicions about Clary, and answers all of Luke’s questions. They even spend some time discussing possible theories on how and why Magnus is being targeted. Afterward, there’s a silence over the phone that tells Alec that he and Luke have come to the same conclusion.

“So, now I have to covertly find out how Agent Fairchild fits into this mess?”

“Looks like it,” Luke concludes, “This case just got a _whole lot_ more complicated.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heartfelt apologies and unfortunate truths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DEAR LORD it's been two months omg, I am so sorry for the wait!!! I finally just... started writing, an luckily inspiration struck. I was able to also start writing some of the next chapter, so I hope to update again later this month. THANK YOU FOR WAITING, THANK YOU FOR READING, I HOPE YOU ENJOY.  
> Comments make me so happy, leave them if you feel so inclined. ily all! <3

There are only a couple things in this world that Magnus legitimately hates: acid wash jeans and being lied to. While Alec wears too much black to ever be caught dead in jeans that faded, the lies are becoming a habit, and Magnus isn’t sure how much more of it he is willing to accept. Every time he thinks they’ve made some sort of progress he discovers another thing that Alec has kept from him. _Two steps forward, one step back,_ Magnus thinks, letting his head fall back against the headboard. 

His eyes find Alec’s leather jacket, which he’d tossed over the arm of the chair by the window, and his mind replays the events of the night: The love confession in the car, the fight in the parking lot, Alec getting injured, _the love confession_. Magnus’ heart skips a little at that thought.

_…because I love you, Magnus Bane, and I don’t want to lose you again. I can’t._

Oh, how he’d waited so long to hear those words from Alexander. But do those words even matter if Alec can’t be completely honest with him? Magnus groans and takes a sip of wine. He’d conjured it as soon as he was alone, deciding that he deserved a drink after the night he’s had. He also gave himself an instant shower, and changed into clean, comfortable clothes – his blue, silk robe and a pair of loose sleep pants.

 _Of course, they matter, you idiot,_ Magnus scolds himself. He loves Alexander more than he ever thought possible after everything they’ve been through, so much that it even scares him a little, but he can’t imagine spending the rest of his life with someone who is constantly lying to him because of his job.

_Wait, am I actually considering spending the rest of my life with Alec?_

A soft knock on the bedroom door startles him out of his thoughts.

“Magnus?” A voice calls from outside the door. “Magnus, can we please talk?” 

Magnus sighs from where he sits on the guest bed, placing the now half-empty wine glass down on the nightstand.

He flicks his wrist to open the door with his magic, and Alexander stands there, hand in the air as if he were about to knock again. The agent looks shocked for half a second when he realizes the door opened on its own, his eyes moving to Magnus’ still glowing hand. He blinks a few times, lowering his fist and regaining his composure quickly.

“Hey,” he starts, “Um. Look, Magn—.”

“I don’t want to another word out of your mouth if it isn’t the absolute truth,” Magnus states firmly, standing from the bed. It’s not what he meant to say, not yet at least, and by the look on Alec’s face, he didn’t expect it either. The younger man looks slightly distraught by the request, which frustrates Magnus even further. He takes a deep breath, willing himself to be honest, as well. It’s only fair.

“It’s simple,” Magnus continues, “You either tell me the whole truth, or you don’t tell me anything at all. I can’t handle any more lies, Alexander. Not after everything…not after last time.” 

He doesn’t have to explain himself; something in Alec’s eyes tells him he understands. _Not after the last time we did this; not after our first attempt at a relationship was based completely on a lie._

Alec’s face falls. “Magnus, you have to know that I never meant to hurt you.”

“I know, but –.”

“Leading you on like that and then leaving you in the dark, breaking both our hearts, I…” Alec pauses, taking a careful step toward Magnus, his dark eyes never leaving Magnus’ own, “It’s my greatest regret. You didn’t deserve that, and I’m so, _so_ sorry. I promise, from this moment on, that I’ll never, _never_ lie to you again.”

Magnus has to take another breath before responding. He crosses his arms. “Even about all your FBI stuff?”

“Even about that,” Alec replies, resolute. “There may be details I can’t talk about, for safety purposes, but I will always be honest with you. About everything, I swear.” 

Magnus regards Alexander for a moment, taking in the determined look on his face, the worried look in his eyes, the scar on his furrowed brow, his eternally unruly hair – the man is stunning, and could probably have anyone he wanted, someone who wouldn’t cause trouble or ask questions, but he wants _Magnus –_ he’s choosing Magnus.

And, really, isn’t that what he’s wanted since the moment they first met?

“Forgive me?” Alec asks after the silence between them lingers for a while. He steps forward again, only an arm’s length away now. “I love you, Mags, and I hate it when we fight.”

At that, Magnus deflates, lettings his arms fall to his sides.

“I hate it, too,” he admits. “Of course, I forgive you.”

Grinning at his victory, Alec crowds Magnus’ space and wraps him in a tight hug, tucking his face into the side of Magnus’ neck. A surprised laugh escapes the doctor, and he reaches up to wrap his arms around Alec’s neck, holding him close. 

“Thank you,” Alec mutters into the crook of Magnus’ neck.

Magnus pulls away to look at him, holding Alec by the shoulders and raising an eyebrow. “For?”

“For giving me another chance,” Alec says, smiling. “I won’t screw it up this time.” 

“We’ll see about that,” Magnus teases, earning him an eye roll from the agent.

“ _Anyway,_ ” Alec starts, moving them both to sit on the edge of the bed, “I do have some things I need to ask you about the case.”

_Right, there’s a madman after him._

“Of course, did you and Raph find out anything else?”

“Yes, actually, and I also got an alarming call from my supervisor.”

“Oh, no.”

“Yeah, none of it is good. Firstly, I’m not sure if I told you, but I have two supervisors for this case, and one of them is Agent Jocelyn Fairchild.”

Magnus nods, then pauses, the name sounding awfully familiar. “Wait, I think she’s the agent who –.”

“Recruited you into the asset program?”

“Yes! How did you know? She told me not to tell anyone. Security reasons, or something?”

Alec rolls his eyes. “Of course, she did. My _other_ supervisor, Luke Garroway, just looked up your file and found it out. Odd thing is, any other copy of your file is heavily redacted. Like someone didn’t want anyone looking into the asset program to know any details about you, specifically. If Luke didn’t find that original copy, there would be almost no record of you being in the program at all.”

Magnus scoffs, “That’s a little rude, considering all the praise she gave me to get me to join.”

“What all did she say?”

Magnus thinks for a second, trying to remember the phone call from a few years back. “She went on and on about how they never recruit assets so young, and how my test scores and class rank made me an exception. Oh, and she also told me I shouldn’t tell people about what I do for the FBI because it could make me a target.”

Alexander sighs upon hearing this, and Magnus frowns.

“Is something wrong?”

“Luke had a theory, and I didn’t want to believe it, but it’s all starting to make sense now,” Alec discloses. “Unless you’re undercover, there’s no reason you can’t tell people you work for the FBI. And, while she’s right that you’re one of the youngest assets we have, we literally _never_ recruit people who are inexperienced. No offense.”

“None taken. I must admit, I was a bit surprised when she insisted that I take the job. I’d only been an intern for a few months, so I didn’t think I’d be much help. I think all the secrecy made sense to me then, because it’s the FBI, and you people _love_ your secrets.”

Alec throws him a look, and Magnus sticks his tongue at him, like the mature, grown man that he is.

“I’m assuming she also didn’t tell you that she works in the Special Humans Division of the bureau?”

“No…” Magnus’ eyes widen, “No, she conveniently left that part out.”

Alec sighs again, wiping a hand down his face.

“Alright, well, there’s more, and you’re not gonna like it.”

Magnus huffs, changing positions so that his back in against the headboard again, legs crossed in front of him. He may as well get comfortable for this.

“Lay it on me,” he says.

Alec turns his body to face him, tucking one leg up onto the bed and laying a hand on the other man’s knee. He looks like he already regrets the words before they come out of his mouth.

“Raphael and I think Clary is in on it.”

Magnus blinks, then bursts out laughing before he can stop himself.

“I’m sorry, you guys think _Clarissa Fray,_ pediatrician, tiny redhead, wannabe artist, has been spying on me since our intern year?”

“Magnus, this is serious!”

“I know! I’m trying to take it seriously, but darling, if you knew her as well as I do, you’d find this accusation a bit ridiculous as well.”

Alec sighs, “That’s the thing, you might not actually know her well at all. Raphael didn’t suspect her either but think about it. A Morgenstern is her brother? He dies and ends up at your hospital? Now a _Morgenstern_ is after you? Sent your ex, who no one knew about, to attack you the one time you were home early? Knew where we’d be? How is he getting all that information? I know it’s a lot to consider, but Magnus, you have to admit that there’s a possibility she’s not as innocent as she seems.”

Magnus shakes his head, trying to wrap his head around the idea. “It just sounds so far-fetched. I can’t even _imagine—._ ”

“I know, but it’s possible. Just think. What do you guys talk about? What have you told her about yourself?”

“Uh, everything?” Magnus answers, slightly off put. “We’re _best friends,_ Alexander. I share almost everything with her. We really bonded after her brother died. We’ve been super close ever since.”

Alec hums, as if he’s putting a puzzle together in his mind. “Is she this close with any of your other friends?”

Magnus opens his mouth to say yes, but when he thinks about it, Clary is only _really_ close to him and Jace. She’s nice to everyone, but she only shares really personal things with him and her boyfriend. Magnus and Jace are friends, and he’s been dating Clary for a couple years now, but they aren’t exactly close, so really, he can’t even confirm that.

“I think I’m her closest friend,” Magnus admits, still in disbelief, “But that doesn’t mean she’s a spy! She wouldn’t do that!”

“Actually, I think she’s been the one taking all the photographs of you,” Raphael interrupts, bursting into the room, laptop in hand.

Magnus groans. _This just keeps getting better._ “Do they teach you to knock at the CIA?”

“No,” Raphael answers. Without missing a beat, he plops down on the bed next to Alec and opens his laptop. “Anyway, I decided to do a search of the dates and times that the photos of Magnus were taken and crossmatch them with the whereabouts of Magnus’ friends. I didn’t expect to get anything, since I could only use security cameras and traffic cams, but then I found something.”

Magnus moves to his knees on the bed, scooting his body over so that he can look over Alec’s shoulder at the screen. On the computer is a fuzzy, black and white image, clearly taken by a stop light camera. In the center of the screen is a vehicle driving through a red light at an intersection that Magnus is awfully familiar with.

“Is that…?”

“The street right outside your apartment, yes. And what do we have here?”

The CIA agent points to a silhouette of a woman in the corner of on the photo. The woman has long long curly hair falling out from underneath a baseball cap, and she’s holding a small black bag over her shoulder, the perfect size for a camera. Even if Raphael hadn’t confirmed her identity with facial recognition, it’s clear that the woman is Clary, and she is walking toward the entrance of a fancy hotel that sits directly across the street from Magnus’ apartment building. He can see that hotel through most of his windows, but luckily, since his penthouse is so high up, hotel guests can’t easily see him.

Magnus shrugs, “Okay, and?” He still isn’t buying this theory, but he’s almost afraid to ask for more proof.

Raphael clicks around on the laptop and pulls up one of the photos of Magnus, one where he is stretching on his balcony. There’s a glow around his hands in the photo.

“I’ve seen this already. I was practicing magic there,” Magnus says, “What of it?”

“The vantage point,” Alec cuts in, reaching toward the laptop. Raphael lets him, albeit begrudgingly, and Alec pulls up a wide-view photo of the hotel.

“Vantage point?” Magnus asks.

“You can see the rooftop of the hotel from your loft,” Alec explains, “so, if you look at the angle of this picture, it was obviously taken from below, but high enough up to zoom in for this kind of detail.”

“Both the picture of you and the traffic cam photo are timestamped on the same day,” Raphael points out, tapping the screen. “That’s not a coincidence. Fray must have gone up to the hotel roof and snapped this picture. I’m almost certain she’s the one taking all of the photos of you; they’re all the same quality, probably the same camera.”

Magnus slouches back down onto the bed, still sitting on his knees. His mind is swimming with every interaction he’s had with Clary since they met during their internship. How could she do this to him? How did he fall for her act? This whole time, nothing about their friendship was real. Was it really all a ruse? An elaborate plan to get him to trust her enough to tell her his secrets?

“Magnus?” Alec calls to him, places a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, you okay?”

Magnus shakes his head. “No, I’m not,” he admits, solemn.

“I’m going to see what else I can dig up about Fray,” Raphael says as he gathers up his laptop and stands. He looks at Alec, then Magnus, then back at Alec. “I’ll let you two… sort this out. If you need me, I’ll be downstairs. Don’t break anything, _por favor._ ” He walks toward the door, then adds, “Don’t forget to call the hospital and tell them you won’t be in for a while; we don’t need anyone trying to find you right now.”

“Right,” Magnus replies, not looking up. Raphael leaves then, and Alec crawls onto the bed until he’s next to Magnus, his long legs dangling over the side of the mattress.

“Hey,” he says again, reaching out to rub his back. It’s supposed to be soothing, but Magnus almost feels numb.

“How could she do this to me?” he asks aloud, letting his face fall into his hands. It’s a rhetorical question, but one he’d really like an answer to. Magnus never imagined he’d experience a betrayal this severe in his life, and he’s distraught. All the years they’ve spent together at the hospital, the friendship they built, everything they’ve gone through…it all meant nothing. He feels completely blindsided.

“I don’t know her at all.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad news, and worse news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has once again been two months I am SO SORRY, here's the next chapter! I appreciate your patience and your continued interest in this story!!! The chapter took an unexpected turn but I like where it's going. Bless you all, can't wait to hear your thoughts!  
> xoxo, Edwina <3

“I’m sorry,” Alec says, rubbing Magnus’ back gently. He’s not really sure _what_ to say to make him feel better. What do you tell someone who’s just found out that their best friend has been spying on them for years? “I know this isn’t what you wanted to hear, but what matters now is that we _know,_ and we can keep you safe.”

“ _Shit_ ,” Magnus yelps, suddenly snapping out of his melancholy. “I have to warn the others!” He reaches for the bedside table to grabs his phone and goes to dial, but Alec quickly snatches it away from him with his good arm.

“Alexander, what are you doing? I have to call my friends! I have to tell them to stay away from Clary!”

“I know you want to, but you can’t,” Alec declares, shaking his head, “If she finds out that you know about her, we could spook her, and who knows what Valentine has planned for her. I know you want to keep your friends safe, but trust me, the best way to do that is to pretend everything is normal.”

“Excuse me, _normal_?” Magnus huffs, scooting away from Alec and standing up again. He looks like he’s shaking, and Alec reaches for him, but Magnus backs away. “How the hell do you expect me to pretend things are fine and dandy after all of this? I’m a doctor, not an actor!”

Alec sighs. “Magnus, you need to calm –.”

“Don’t you _dare_ tell me to calm down, Alexander, or I swear to –!”

It’s right then that Magnus’ phone rings loudly in the room, causing both men to freeze. They look down as a picture pops up on the caller ID. Simon, if Alec remembers correctly.

“Simon? He’s gotta be at work right now,” Magnus says, picking the phone up. “Probably wondering why I’m not there.”

“Tell him you’re sick?” Alec suggests. That _is_ the plan after all. Magnus nods and answers the call, tapping the screen to put it on speaker.

Magnus fakes a cough. It’s convincing. “Hello?”

“Bane! Dude, are you okay? You were supposed to come in tonight. We were getting worried; you never miss a shift!”

“I know, Si, I’m sorry, I’ve just been sick all day and I must have fallen asleep.”

“Aw, man. How high’s your temp?”

Magnus doesn’t hesitate. “101.”

“Yikes, yeah, stay away from us.”

“Ha, I will. I’m sorry I didn’t call in, how mad is the chief?”

“Luckily, things aren’t too crazy tonight, and this is your first offense of the year, so you’re off the hook there. I’ll cover for you.”

Alec gives Magnus a look and mouths to him: _Tell him you aren’t coming in for a while._

Magnus nods. “Unfortunately, I think I might bet getting a flu or something, body’s been sore all day. I’ll probably be out for a while.”

“Ah, shit. Maybe those damn flu shots _are_ a scam, huh? Alright, I’ll let the right people know.”

“Thanks, Simon.”

“There is one more problem, though,” Simon continues, “Have you heard from Dot recently?”

Alec makes a face at that, remembering Raphael’s notes in her file. Magnus raises an eyebrow.

“Uh, no, not in a few days, I figured she’s been working. Why, did she not come in today?”

“Dammit,” Simon says under his breath, “No, she didn’t. She hasn’t been at work all week, and none of us have been able to get a hold of her.”

“What?” Magnus eyes widen and he sits back down. He looks at Alec, who is sure he looks as worried as Magnus feels. None of this sounds good. “How did I not know this sooner?”

“Well we know that you’re settling back in with your mans when you’re not stuck here at work, so we didn’t want to bother you if it wasn’t a huge deal.”

Alec takes a second to mull over the fact that Simon just referred to him as _Magnus’ “mans”_ , then refocuses before his amusement becomes too obvious. He also reminds himself that, as much as he wants to, this is probably _not_ the best time to have the infamous _So What Are We?_ conversation.

Magnus places a hand over his face and exhales slowly. “I appreciate that, but I wish you’d told me. Has anyone gone to her place?”

“Clary went to check on her today but said that no one answered the door.”

_Shit._

Alec watches Magnus face grow pale and knows they’re both thinking the same thing. “So, she’s missing?”

There’s a pause over the line, then Simon sighs. “I don’t want to overreact, but I think she might be, yeah. What do we do, man?”

“Nothing right now, you have to finish your shift. I’ll try and get a hold of her, and I’ll let you know what I find out.”

“Alright. You don’t think she’s in trouble or anything, right? I mean, it’s Dot. She probably just got her schedule wrong and went on an impromptu vacation. Right?”

“Right,” Magnus nods, but Alec can tell he doesn’t believe it. “I’ll call you tomorrow. Don’t work too hard.”

“Sounds good. You try and feel better, so I’m not stuck covering your shifts for the next two weeks.”

“Will do. Bye, Simon.”

Magnus hangs up and tosses the phone behind him on the bed, then let’s his head fall into his hands with a groan. Alec, in an attempt to comfort him, places his hand on Magnus’ shoulder.

“We’ll find her,” he says quietly.

Magnus springs upright then, turning and pointing a finger at Alec, who jumps back a little in surprise. “You made a face when Simon first mentioned Dorothea,” he accuses. “What do you know?”

“Magnus, we –.”

“ _What. Do. You. Know.”_ Magnus emphasizes, standing, “You promised not to lie to me anymore, Alexander.”

He did promise, didn’t he?

“Alright, alright,” the agent concedes, “I’ll tell you, just – sit back down, please?”

Magnus does so with a huff, his arms crossed.

“Well?”

Alec steels himself. “When Raphael and I were first looking into your friends, to rule out any suspects, he mentioned that he had suspicions about Dot.”

Magnus raises an eyebrow, “Suspicions?”

“He had this case first, so I borrowed some of his files, and it looks like she almost didn’t exist before starting her internship at your hospital.”

Magnus looks unphased. “So, she’s suspicious because she decided not to engage in social media until she became a doctor? Maybe she was busy with, I don’t know, medical school?”

Alec sighs, “I know it sounds dumb, I told Santiago the same thing at first, but the more I looked for information about her, the more it looked like she was a ghost until that year. We couldn’t find anything about her childhood or college years –.”

“She went to Upstate Medical,” Magnus interjects, “That’s where her family lives.” 

“And have you ever _met_ her family?”

Magnus opens his mouth, then shuts it again, shaking his head. “She doesn’t talk about them much, either.”

“She’s on the roster at Upstate Medical, she’s got an active medical license online, but there aren’t any other pictures or mentions of her on that campus or in that area.”

“Maybe she just wasn’t very social?” Magnus tries, “What does it matter, anyway? How does this help us _find_ her?”

“When the FBI _and_ the CIA can’t find information on someone, it’s usually not a good sign,” Alec explains, “She may be in trouble, but it might be a trap. We _have_ to be careful about this.” 

“ _Jesus_ ,” Magnus mutters, letting his head drop into his hands. He’s quiet for a minute, and Alec just watches him, unsure of what to do.

Alec reaches out, places a hand on his thigh, rubs his thumb there. “What do you need?” he asks gently. Magnus has gone through a lot in a short amount of time. If Alec weren’t an FBI agent, he’d be overwhelmed, too.

“I don’t even know,” Magnus whispers into his hands. He takes a long, deep breath, then looks up at Alec. “Why is this happening to me? What the hell is going on?”

Alexander’s heart breaks a little at that. “I know none of this is fair, but we’re going to figure it out,” he says, pulling one of Magnus’ hands toward him and squeezing. “We’ll find her, and we’ll figure this out, together.”

“But what if something happens to –?”

“Nothing is going to happen to us,” Alec assures, “I’m not leaving your side.”

What he doesn’t say is that he’ll die before he lets anything happen Magnus. The thought almost catches him by surprise, but he knows in his heart that he means it. He hopes he doesn’t have to make that sacrifice.

Magnus yawns then, his eyes squeeze shut and his nose crinkles adorably, and Alec’s heart swells with how much he cares for this man. He’d probably do anything for him, and in his line of work, that’s _very_ dangerous. He tries not to think about that.

“Hey, you should go to bed,” Alec says, glancing at his watch, “It’s practically morning, you’ve gotta get some sleep.”

Magnus nods, then adds, “What about you?”

“I’ve gotta update Raphael, then I’m going to get some rest, too. Not sure CIA agents ever sleep, though. The man’s probably nocturnal.”

Magnus chuckles at that, maneuvering himself so his legs are under the covers. He snaps his fingers and rids himself of his robe, a soft white t-shirt in its place, then pulls the comforter up to his chest and lays his head on the pillow.

Alec smiles, then turns to leave so Magnus can go to bed, but he stops when he hears Magnus clear his throat.

“Wait, Alexander?”

“Yeah?” Alec looks back from where he stands in the doorway, cradling his splinted wrist with his free hand. He makes a note to ask Raphael where they keep the pain pills in this safe house.

“I just… remember earlier, yesterday? When I said…um,” Magnus twists the rings on his fingers. He looks away from Alec, like he’s nervous. It’s then that Alec remembers. “Actually, never mind, it’s –.”

“You didn’t want to spend the night alone,” Alec states, and Magnus nods slowly.

“I mean, it’s fine if you don’t want to sleep here, I can just –.”

“Magnus, it’s okay,” Alec assures him. He’d originally planned on passing out in full tactical gear in the guest room down the hall, but it might feel better to wash up and change his clothes, sleep next to someone warm. It’s not until he sees Magnus all cozy in bed that he realizes how tired his own body is. He _did_ take a bit of a beating in that parking lot fight. But Magnus is asking not to be alone, and Alec is happy to oblige. “Leave the lamp on, I’ll be back.”

Magnus smiles. “Alright, darling,” he replies, closing his eyes already, “See you in a bit.”

Alec pulls the door closed and heads back downstairs. When he doesn’t find Raphael on the main floor, he makes his way down to the basement. He doesn’t bother knocking or asking permission, not much caring about the CIA’s secret toys or whatever trouble Raphael will be in for this. He just needs to talk to the man.

When he reaches the basement, his shoes land on a dark linoleum floor. The whole place is dimly lit and cold, probably to keep all the machines from overheating. It looks like an oversized industrial office, cluttered with various screens and monitors on tables and walls, most of them displaying the CIA logo. Locked metal storage units take up the entire north wall, where Alec can see the weapons are stored. Alec can hear the sound of a clicking and typing coming from the back corner, so he walks further into the room, careful not to bump into anything valuable. “Santiago?”

“What did I tell you about coming down here, Lightwood?” Raphael grunts from behind the desk, clearly displeased. He doesn’t look up from what he’s doing Alec is right in front of him, looming over the computer screens, and even then, it takes a minute.

Finally, the CIA agent stops typing and looks up. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“Please, everything down here is locked with a bioscanner. Even if I _wanted_ to steal your secrets, I’d have a hard time.”

Santiago rolls his eyes. “Whatever. What do you want? Did our frazzled Magician finally chill out?”

“He’s fine,” Alec shrugs, “Well, as fine as he can be right now. Simon Lewis called; he thinks Magnus is out with the flu.”

“That’s good,” Raphael nods, turning his attention back to the computer in front of him. “That should keep his employer and friends out of our way for now.”

“There is… something else.”

Raphael pauses again, sighing heavily. “What now?”

“It’s Dorothea.”

“Rollins?”

“She’s missing.”

“ _Shit.”_

“Yeah.”

“For how long?”

“Apparently she hasn’t shown up for work all week. _Clary Fray_ checked on her at home, told Dr. Lewis she wasn’t there.”

Raphael scoffs, “That’s not suspicious at all.”

“I’m worried about her. Magnus is, too.”

“As you should be,” Raphael answers dryly.

“Why? Did you dig something up on Fray?”

“Nope,” the agent announces, clicking around on his computer, “Not a thing. Her record is squeaky clean, not even a parking ticket, and we both know that’s never good.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah.”

“So, all we have to go on is the facial rec in that traffic cam photo?” Alec asks, sounding a little desperate, because he _is_. It’s the only good lead they have, he doesn’t want to lose it.

“If we could get her camera, catch her communicating with Valentine somehow, then we’d have her.”

“Well she’s gotta be talking to him somehow. Phone records?”

“Nothing. Looks like she gets a lot of work calls, calls to and from Magnus and her other friends, a couple take-out places, some scam calls, and several calls a day with her mother, who I _also_ can’t find anywhere, but that’s it.”

Alec quirks a brow, “How often is she talking to her mom?”

“I don’t know, maybe five, six times a day?” Santiago clicks on something again and scrolls. “Calls range from about a minute to about 15 minutes, almost never more than that.”

“A girl who calls her mother multiple times a day, but never stays on the phone for more than 15 minutes. Isn’t that strange?”

Raphael shoots him an unamused glare. “Do I look like a girl to you?”

Alec sighs, “Look, I had a lot of female friends growing up, and they would always either call or get calls from their mothers while we were hanging out or talking. They’d be on the phone for like an _hour._ I never understood it, but then my best friend in college, Lydia, explained to me that it’s just what girls _do._ It’s a common mother/daughter thing, if they have a good relationship.” He comes around the desk then, looking at the phone logs on the screen. “All these calls to ‘Mom’ are short and random, with no pattern at all. It’s like they’re constantly relaying information back and forth.”

“Unlikely, but I guess anything’s possible,” Raphael deadpans. “In any case, I can’t find the mom, so I suppose that’s suspicious as well.”

“The number doesn’t lead anywhere?”

“No, the country code is from somewhere in Europe, and changes every few months, but is still labeled under _Mom_ in Fray’s phone records.”

“That doesn’t seem weird to you?” Alec points out.

“Okay, _yes,_ now that I’m saying it out loud,” Santiago admits, “but I have more than one phone, so multiple numbers is just common nature to me. I think I’d change my number often even if I were a civilian.”

“Right, but you’re _not_ a civilian,” Alec reminds him, wheels turning in his mind, “What if Fray’s mother isn’t either?”

“Well, that would explain why she’s practically a ghost,” Santiago huffs, swiping through his screens and typing some more. “I can’t even find a photograph of this woman. Whoever she is, she’s good.”

“You think she knows what Fray is up to?”

Raphael shrugs, “I wouldn’t be surprised. The length of these calls, the number of them, it’s not like they’re talking this much to keep secrets from each other.”

The computer makes a beeping sound then, and an alert pops up in the middle of the screen.

“What’s that?”

“ _Dios mío,_ it actually worked.” 

Raphael clicks on the alert and another screen opens up with a short list of numbers on it.

“It was a long shot,” he explains, “but I ran a search that crossmatched the numbers Fray had listed for her mother with places Clary has been in the past ten years, comparing the time and frequency of the calls with time zones, how long that number was in order, and –.”

“Out with it, Santiago!”

“It worked! At some point, Fray’s mother had a US number. A DC number, to be precise. At that time, they had a lot less correspondence, but _this_ number looks traceable…” Raphael gets back to work typing and clicking through various screens, until –

“Yes! We got a name. This has got to be her mother.”

There’s only one name flashing on the screen, and Alec can feel the blood leave his face when he reads it.

“Oh, my god,” he says aloud, standing up straight and quickly pulling out his phone. He winces at the soreness in his left arm but otherwise ignores the pain; he’s got to call Luke _now._

“What is it?” Santiago asks, looking concerned when Alec doesn’t answer, too busy dialing Luke’s number and putting the phone to his ear. “Do you recognize that name?”

“Yeah,” Alec lets out a shaky breath, silently begging for his supervisor to pick up the phone. “The entire FBI knows that name.”

On the computer screen, the bold red letters continue to flash.

1 RESULT(S): JOCELYN FAIRCHILD. 


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexander and Raphael follow a new lead, and Magnus refuses to be left behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been 3 months, I'm so sorry, I promise I will NOT abandon this fic! I will finish it if it kills me. PLEASE ENJOY.  
> As always, I live for you comments, please feel free to share your thoughts! THANK YOU FOR READING. ILYSM. XOXO, Edwina (:

Magnus wakes with a start as someone shakes him into consciousness. The room is still dark with the curtains drawn, and Magnus is immediately on guard. He bolts upright, magic at his fingertips.

“Stay away!” he shouts.

“Whoa, it’s just me, Magnus,” he hears a familiar voice say, and as his eyes adjust, he is surprised to find Raphael standing at the edge of the bed, hands held up in a placating gesture.

Magnus lets his magic fade, then reaches over to turn on the bedside lamp. “Raph? Where’s Alec? Is everything okay? What time is it?” He feels like he only slept for twenty minutes, but the light coming from around the window tells him it’s already morning.

“One question at a time, Bane,” Raphael sighs, then moves to sit in the chair by the window. He leans forward on his elbows and exhales, like what he’s about to say is serious, so Magnus gets out from under the covers and sits on the edge of the bed, facing the other man. Feeling a tad underdressed in his white tee and silk boxers, Magnus snaps his fingers to change into sweatpants. Then, with a wave of a hand, he opens the curtains to let more light into the room.

Raphael looks up and blinks a few times, turning to look behind him at the windows, then back at Magnus. “I’ll never get used to that,” he says.

Magnus shrugs, “Anyway – you had news?”

“Right, yes. Things are…not good.”

“Not good _how?_ ” Magnus asks anxiously, “Where is Alexander?”

“Lightwood is fine, he’s on the phone with his handler. They’re discussing what we just found out.”

“Which is?”

Raphael sighs again, “We found Clary’s mother.”

Magnus scoffs, “No, you must be mistaken.”

Raphael raises an eyebrow, “How do you figure?”

“Her parents both died in a car accident when she was in college. She took care of her younger brother until he passed a few years ago. That’s why she took it so hard; she lost her whole family the same way.”

Raphael lifts his chin and narrows his eyes, “That’s tragic. Is that the story she told you?”

“Uh, yes?” Magnus says cautiously, “Do you have reason to believe it’s not true?”

“As a matter of fact, yes,” Raph answers, leaning back in the chair. “Lightwood and I figured it out last night. So, you already know Jonathan is her half-brother, and we’re pretty sure Valentine is his father. What we know now is that her mother is Jocelyn Fairchild.”

Magnus’ heart sinks. “The… the same Fairchild that recruited me? Alec’s supervisor?”

“The very same,” Raphael replies, “Agent Garroway informed him yesterday that she’s been MIA for _weeks._ If she’s in on this anti-Magician nonsense with Valentine, it would make sense that she disappears right before you’re attacked. She’s gone rogue.”

Magnus is shaking his head before Raphael can even finish his sentence. “So, this woman has lied to… everyone. _Clary_ lied to _everyone,_ about everything! Oh, my god, how could I be so stupid?”

“Magnus, you can’t blame yourself,” Raphael pleads, “Fairchild is clearly some kind of psychopath, and Clary obviously followed in her footsteps. These people are professionals, _experts,_ and they’ve been playing the long game, planning this operation for _years._ It took the combined efforts of the FBI and CIA to figure this out. There’s no way you could have known.”

Magnus appreciates Raph’s words, but he can’t help but feel completely defeated. “She was my best friend,” he says to himself, “How didn’t I see that she’s been lying this entire time?”

“I’m sorry, Magnus, but what’s important is that we know _now,_ and we can do something about it.”

Magnus’ head snaps up as he remembers something. “Wait, what about Dot? She’s still missing, and Clary – that _bitch –_ was probably the last person to see her! She must be in trouble. We have to find her!”

“If by _we_ you mean Santiago and I, then yes, we will find her.”

Magnus looks toward the door and sees Alexander step inside the bedroom. He resists the urge to run to him like some distressed damsel. Which he is _not._

“Wherever you’re going, I’m coming, too,” Magnus declares.

“Magnus, you’re a civilian–,” Raphael starts.

“I’m a _Magician,_ I’m not helpless. Didn’t I save your lives the other night?”

“Okay, yes, but Mags, these people are after _you,_ too. It’s too dangerous,” Alec states firmly, “You need to stay here, where you’re safe. Santiago and I will scope out your place and Dot’s place and see what we can find.”

Magnus stands and places a hand on his hip defiantly. “And who is going to let you into my place, huh?”

Alec smiles softly at him, “Babe, if you don’t think I can get into a locked building, you are severely underestimating my skills as an FBI agent.” 

A wave of arousal passes over Magnus unexpectedly, and he gapes for a moment, then quickly regains his composure. _Damn him._

“You’re infuriating,” Magnus mumbles, crossing his arms, and Alec chuckles.

Raphael rolls his eyes. “I’ll be downstairs while you…sort this out,” he announces before making a swift exit and closing the door behind him.

Magnus doesn’t say anything, avoiding Alec’s eyes.

“You’re upset,” Alec says finally, and Magnus wants to laugh.

“Upset? Sure, that’s one word for it,” he bites back, then he fixes his gaze on Alec. “Look, like it or not, I’m in the middle of this mess, and now my friends are in danger, and I’m not just going to sit back and let you go after these lunatics alone. I’m a doctor, Alexander, I _help people,_ especially my friends!”

“Magnus, it’s just too dangerous –.”

“What, so you’re the only one who gets to risk his life?”

“Magnus, please—.”

“No, why do you have to be the only one putting himself in harms way?”

“Because that’s my _job!_ ” Alec exclaims loudly, sounding simultaneously angry and terrified, and Magnus’ mouth snaps shut, surprised by the sudden outburst. “I was sent here to protect you, and maybe I’m doing a shitty job at it, but it’s still my job! I won’t lose you again!”

There those words are again, and Magnus is reminded that Alexander _loves him,_ that this man refuses to lose him, and he’s punched in the gut all over again. Alexander was trained to protect and fight and kill, but he’s made room in his heart for love. They’re in danger, they’re stuck in this safe house, running from some madman who’s trying to kill them, and they’re in _love._ They were separated, and by some twist of fate, they’ve found themselves thrown together again, even after everything went wrong the first time around. Despite it all, they’re here, and they’re in love.

That urge to run into Alec’s arms comes back with a vengeance, and this time, Magnus let’s himself give in. He has enough self-control to keep from actually _running,_ it’s more of a purposeful walk, but in three seconds flat he’s got his arms wrapped around the agent’s neck and a hand combing through his perpetually messy hair.

Alexander returns the hug almost immediately, burying his face in Magnus’ neck.

“I can’t lose you,” Alec mutters against his skin, and Magnus shushes him gently.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he assures him. “You’re not going to lose me, I promise.”

“You can’t know that,” Alec says, pulling away to look at Magnus.

“I _do_ know that,” Magnus counters, “I’ve got the best bodyguard on the east coast looking after me.”

He hoped the comment would make Alec smile, but the agent simply drops his head.

“Hey,” Magnus whispers, pulling his chin up with a curled finger, “What is it?”

“I just keep thinking… you were working with someone who wanted to hurt you, this _entire time,_ and I had no idea. _I_ worked with someone who wants to hurt you! I just can’t believe I missed it. What kind of agent misses something like that? What kind of man–?”

“Stop that,” Magnus scolds, placing a finger to Alec’s lips, “Raphael says they’ve probably been planning this operation for years, and that there’s no way any of us could have known sooner.”

“I should have found a way,” Alexander states, pulling away from Magnus, but the doctor holds firm, keeping him close. He hates to see Alexander beating himself up like this.

“You can’t blame yourself for this,” Magnus whispers, “None of this is your fault.”

“It’ll feel that way until we finish this,” Alec sighs.

“Then let’s finish this,” Magnus suggests, “Let’s make a plan, find a way to draw out that sonofabitch Valentine.”

Alec chuckles, “It’s not that easy. The FBI is officially investigating Agent Fairchild, so unless she fakes her own death, she’ll pop up at some point. We don’t have much on Valentine or Fray, so they’ll be a lot more difficult to trace.”

“Then let’s start with what we know. I’m certain Clary is the one who kidnapped Dot, so if we find Dot, maybe we’ll find the rest of them?”

“You really aren’t going to let me convince you to stay here, are you?”

“Absolutely not,” Magnus answers, flicking his wrist to change into more appropriate attire. Before Alec can protest, Magnus grabs his phone and brushes past him to the door. “Let’s go!”

…

“This is most definitely a trap,” Raphael says when they arrive at Magnus’ place. He and Magnus are standing by the car while Alec checks the perimeter.

“Please,” Magnus rolls his eyes, “I’ll portal us in, will that make you feel better?”

“You can do that?” Alec asks, jogging back to them.

“How’s it look?” Raphael asks.

“Clear, for now,” Alec answers, then turns back to Magnus, “You said you can portal us all inside?”

Magnus shrugs, “Should be able to.”

“Should be able to, or can?” Raphael comments, “It’s an important distinction.”

Irritated, Magnus closes his eyes and focuses on the living room in his loft. He pictures it in his mind as he lets magic flow from his feet to his fingertips. He lets it build for a moment, knowing he’ll need a little more power to transport three people. He’s never done this before, but he’s not about to back down now. Taking a deep breath, Magnus swing his arm in a circular motion, and opens his eyes when he feels the _whoosh_ of a portal opening. In front of him, in a swirling circle of light floating in midair, is his living room.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” he hears Raphael say from beside him.

“Holy shit,” Alec laughs, looking adorably surprised, “Magnus, you did it!”

Magnus smirks, making finger guns and blowing the metaphorical smoke off the ends of them, then points them in Raphael’s direction. “Told you so.”

“Yeah, yeah, let’s go before someone sees and decides to ask questions.”

They all step into the portal, and it closes with a _zap_ behind them. Now that Magnus can get a good look around, he immediately senses that something is off. He freezes.

“Alexander…”

“I know,” Alec says quietly, motioning for Raphael to search one side of the loft while he moves toward the other. Magnus moves to follow him, but Alec holds a hand up. “Stay here.”

Magnus wants to protest, but Raphael and Alec are already walking away, guns drawn.

_Where the hell do they hide those things?_

Refusing to feel useless, Magnus tries a quick scanning spell. He closes his eyes, calls on his magic, and sends out invisible feelers, scanning every room for anything unusual. He’s fairly certain there aren’t any people waiting to attack them, but there were definitely intruders at some point.

“Clear!” Raphael calls from the kitchen, just as Alec rounds the corner from the guest room.

“Clear here, too,” he says, holstering his gun, “but –.”

“Someone was here,” Magnus finishes, “They took something…”

“How could you possibly know that?” Raphael asks.

Magnus gives him a look and considers turning his hair green, just for fun.

“He’s right,” Alec sighs, “They took all my gear, all my guns, jammed my surveillance cameras, wiped my hard drive –.”

“So, they made you,” Raphael concludes, frowning, “and now you have nothing.”

“Not necessarily. I had the foresight to send everything on my hard drive to Luke via an encrypted email server, so we didn’t lose much evidence. _And…_ ” Alexander pulls a black bag over his shoulder and grins, “They left _this._ ”

“What the hell is that?” Raphael asks.

Magnus recognizes the bag. He eyes Alec wearily, “Your bow and arrow?”

“Bow and arrow?” Raphel scoffs, “What are you, Robin Hood?” 

Alec shrugs, pulling the bow out of the bag and admiring it. “If the shoe fits.”

“Please,” Raphael rolls his eyes, “In any case, we can grab more _adequate_ weapons from the safehouse,” he offers.

“Why thank you, Santiago. And here I thought the CIA didn’t know how to share.”

“Only if you promise to return everything in one piece. We all know how the FBI likes to make a mess of things.”

“Would you two cut it out and focus?” Magnus interrupts, annoyed, “You can fight about your toys later. Right now, we’ve got to find Dot.”

“You’re right, sorry,” Alexander says sheepishly, then he pulls his bow and quiver over his shoulder. They rattle around as he secures the strap over his chest. “Alright, wanna portal us out?”

“Better – I’ll portal us straight to Dorothea’s place.”

“Isn’t that a big, uh, jump?” Raphael asks, looking concerned.

“Ye of so little faith,” Magnus replies. Taking a deep breath, Magnus connects with his magic, and waves his hand in the air to open another portal. There’s another _whoosh,_ and through glowing circle that appears, Magnus recognizes the front of Dot’s townhouse.

“I’m almost impressed,” Raphael admits haughtily.

Magnus ignores him. 

All three men step through the portal, and it twists shut behind them.

“I don’t like this,” Raphael comments, look around, “This feels like a trap.”

“Didn’t you say that last time?” Magnus asks, exasperated.

“Yeah, but I was only being cautious. This time, I know it in my gut,” he says, eying the house suspiciously. “They know we’re here.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The search for Dorothea continues, and the boys find someone else in the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AS PROMISED, another update! Consider it a lil christmas present from yours truly (: Thank you all so much for reading and commenting and your PATIENCE, omg I love y'all so much. Enjoy the chapter! <3   
> XOXO, Edwina

As a trained agent, Alec can make a pretty good guess at what awaits them inside Dorothea’s house, and he knows it’s nothing good. It’s almost noon but all the blinds on the windows are closed and all the curtains are drawn, like someone inside is hiding.

“I feel like we should call for backup,” Raphael suggests, looking around at the quiet street. “I don’t know what we’re walking into, and you’re not even at full strength with your wrist wrapped up.”

“I can fix that,” Magnus offers, hands glowing blue with magic.

“Wait, Magnus, are you sure?” Alec asks, “I don’t want you to waste your power on me, I’ll be fine just like this.”

“Let the man fix your wrist, _por favor,_ ” Santiago urges.

“Alexander, it’s not a waste,” Magnus tells him, “You need this.”

Alec sighs, but nods. “Alright, do your thing.”

It only takes a minute for Alec’s wrist to feel as good as new. Light surrounds his arm, dancing around it as the magic heals the bones and muscles inside. The cast disappears and he tests his arm, twisting it around and flexing his gloved hand a few times.

“Good?” Magnus asks.

“Yeah, thanks Magnus,” Alec replies with a smile, then turns to the other agent. “I know you’re gonna argue that we still need extra help, but we don’t know how much longer Dorothea has, or what they’re doing to her, or where they’re holding her,” he explains. “Time is _not_ on our side here.”

Santiago nods, considering, “On one condition: We send our supervisors our location. I don’t want this Valentine guy to make us disappear.” 

“Good idea,” Alec answers, tapping at his smartwatch and making sure the locator is on. He sees Raphael fiddling with a ring on his finger, which beeps a couple times.

“It’s new agency tech,” he comments without looking up, “Classified.”

Alec huffs, “Of course it is.”

“So, it’s just us then?” Santiago asks aloud.

“Well, you _do_ have me,” Magnus chimes in, “I’m practically a secret weapon.”

At that, Raphael rolls his eyes, “Just try not to get into trouble, okay?”

“Pfft, me? Trouble? Nonsense,” Magnus gasps dramatically.

“Magnus, this is serious,” Alec warns, then looks back up at the house. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“I know it is, Alexander, it’s _my_ friend that’s been taken. I’ll be careful, I promise, but we’ve got to get in there.”

“Alright,” Alec steels himself, grabbing an arrow out of the quiver strapped to his back and positioning it on his bow. He ignores the look Santiago gives him; he knows it’s not an ideal weapon, but he wants to save his gun if he needs it later. Plus, Alec knows how deadly he is with an arrow – he never misses. “Let’s go.”

The house is dark and quiet when they finally step inside.

Too quiet.

The first thing Alec notices is that the door has been forced open. He’s the last to enter, and the door doesn’t click shut the way it should.

The second thing he notices is that none of the lights work. He flips a few switches by the door up and down a couple times, and nothing happes.

“Dammit. Someone cut the power,” he whispers, knowing now that it’s almost certainly a trap. “Fuck.”

“What?” Magnus asks, lighting up the area with a floating fireball in his palm.

“He’s realizing that I was right,” Raphael whispers, pulling his firearm out from the back of his dress pants. He turns on the flashlight attached to the barrel of the gun, scanning the hallway in front of them as he advances. “Dorothea was bait.”

“Bait?” Magnus asks, looking more worried than before.

“Valentine knew you’d come looking for her,” Alec explains as his eyes scan the living room and the staircase, looking for movement, or cameras, or anything suspicious. “That, or Clary told him you would.”

“Kitchen’s clear,” Raphael calls from up ahead, “But it looks like there’s a shed in the backyard.”

Magnus and Alec make their way to the sliding back door where Raphael stands, pulling back the curtain and pointing toward a large, white shed. The yard itself is gated on all sides with a tall, wooden fence. The lock on the shed is in place, which is either a good thing, or very, _very_ bad. Alec decides immediately that he does _not_ want Magnus going in there.

“Magnus, Santiago, you guys check upstairs. I’ll check the shed.”

“Sounds good,” Raphael nods, turning to make his way back toward the front of the house.

“Wait, wait, wait, so you’re going to go out to that shed _alone?_ ” Magnus asks, incredulous, “Absolutely not!”

“Magnus, come on, I’ll be fine,” he says, trying to calm the other man. “I’ll just scope it out, make sure it’s all clear, then meet you upstairs.”

“And if it’s not all clear?”

“Then we come and save his ass,” Raphael retorts from the bottom of the staircase, gun pointed up.

“Exactly,” Alec agrees, “Go with Raphael, I’ll meet you guys in a few minutes.”

“Five minutes, Alexander,” Magnus tells him, face serious, “Five minutes and then I’m coming for you.”

“Fair enough,” he nods, trying to hide his sudden nervousness. “I’ll see you in five minutes.”

Magnus just looks at him for a second, unreadable expression on his face. Then, he lunges forward, grabbing Alec’s face and kissing him hard on the mouth.

“Be careful,” he whispers when he pulls away, leaning his forehead against the agent’s.

“I will,” Alec breathes, taking a moment to memorize the feeling of Magnus’ hands on his skin. “You, too.”

“Always,” Magnus nods, then kisses him again, a quick peck this time.

“Break it up, lovebirds; we’ve got work to do,” Santiago reprimands with a sigh, then starts to make his way slowly up the stairs.

“Go,” Alec urges, nodding his head in Santiago’s direction, “Keep each other safe.”

Magnus goes, looking back at him one last time before following Raphael upstairs. Alec shakes himself, inhaling and exhaling deeply before unlocking the backdoor and stepping outside.

He looks around, arrow at the ready, listening closely for any sounds of distress. He keeps his step small and precise, trying his best not to give himself away just in case someone is waiting to attack. He looks at the grass below his feet, and it appears as if someone has walked over the fallen leaves recently. They definitely haven’t been raked in a while. As he nears the shed, he tries to come up with a plan, but everything he comes up with puts him at risk. He considers calling for Magnus to magically open the lock for him, but the thought of what he might walk into inside the shed makes him anxious.

 _No risk, no reward,_ he recites silently.

Alec holds his bow and arrow in one hand, then leans down and pulls a gun out from under his pant leg. He looks around one more time before shooting at the lock, the bullet breaking it open. The shot rings loudly in his ears, and he knows he knows he doesn’t have much time if Valentine’s people are nearby. He quickly tucks the gun into the back of his jeans, readies his bow and arrow once again, then kicks the door open wide and rushes inside. What he sees makes his stomach drop.

Dorothea is hanging by the wrists in the center of the room, the ropes around her arms tied to the beams in the shed’s ceiling. Her clothes are dirty and torn, her skin looks pale and bruised, and she isn’t moving. Without thinking, Alec shoots an arrow above her head to sever the ropes that are holding her up. Her body falls to the ground with a thud, and Alec runs forward, kneeling to her level and turning her onto her back.

 _Please don’t be dead,_ he begs silently. He shoves two fingers under her neck, his heart jackhammering in his chest when he can’t find a pulse.

“Shit.” Alec drops his bow in favor of leaning over Dot’s chest to begin CPR. He tries to think about how long she could have possibly been hanging there, if there’s even a chance of reviving her, but he doesn’t want to assume the worst. He presses harder into her chest with each compression, pausing after a couple minutes to check for a pulse.

Still nothing.

“Dammit,” he curses, starting compressions again. He’s so focused that he almost doesn’t hear someone approaching the shed. When he realizes that someone’s behind him, he spins around suddenly, pulling his gun out and aiming it at the intruder.

“Hey, hey, just us!” It’s Raphael and Magnus, and Alec let’s out a small sigh of relief, returning his gun to his ankle holster. Magnus peers past the door of the shed and the blood seems to drain from his face when his eyes land on his friend, half-dead on the ground.

“Oh my god, Dot!” Magnus gasps, rushing forward and collapsing onto the ground next to her. “What the hell happened?!”

“I don’t know, but it looks like she was tortured. She doesn’t have a pulse,” Alec explains, out of breath from exertion, “I’ve only been doing CPR for—whoa!”

To Alec’s surprise, Magnus suddenly _shocks_ the woman with his magic, using his hands a defibrillator. Her chest rises and falls violently with each burst of energy, but Magnus doesn’t stop. He checks for breathing, checks for a pulse, and shocks her again.

“I’ve called 911, we should wait for them,” Raphael suggests from where he stands guarding the door, but Magnus ignores him, shaking Dot violently and calling her name.

“You can’t die on me, Dorothea, you can’t!” he cries, starting up compressions again, “I can’t lose anyone else; you have to come back. You have to!” 

Alec is about to give up, about to tell Magnus that he should stop, but then he shocks Dorothea again, and this time, when Magnus feels for a pulse, his eyes go wide.

“Magnus, what is it? Is she…?”

“She’s alive,” Magnus says quietly, then chokes on a sob. He slaps a hand over his mouth, and keeps his other hand on Dot’s chest, watching it rise and fall as she begins to breathe again. He sends occasional pulses of magic into her body. “I’m giving her some of my strength. She’s extremely weak, but she’s alive.”

“Thank God,” Raphael sighs, doing a quick sign of the cross.

Alec slumps backward onto the floor of the shed, relieved. But that feeling doesn’t last long.

“Well, well, well,” says a voice from outside, “If it isn’t Dr. Magnus Bane.”

Raphael whips around and has his weapon raised and aimed immediately, while Alec jumps to his feet, grabs his bow and prepares to launch another arrow. He stands in front of Magnus, trying to shield him. He’s not surprised by who he sees.

Clary Fray stands with her hands on her hips and a smirk on her face. She’s dressed in all black, and her fiery hair is tied up into a tight ponytail. She’s flanked by four men, whom Alec guesses are more of Valentine’s goons, all carrying guns of various sizes, looking dangerous and ready to charge on Clary’s signal. He’s not sure if he and Raphael can take on the four men, but Clary’s still talking, so maybe they aren’t doomed just yet.

“Hotshot doctor, chief resident extraordinaire, emergency medicine genius, top of his graduating class at Columbia, blah blah blah,” Clary rolls her eyes, “and on top of all that, you’re a stupid Magician, too? No wonder you’ve done so well for yourself,” she spits.

Magnus looks stunned for a moment, but then Alec watches his face change as he stands to face Clary. Alec positions himself in front of him, weapon still raised. If Clary so much as threatens to harm him, Alec has a direct shot. Not that he wants to kill, but he will if he has to. He’d do anything for Magnus.

“If you’re insinuating that I used my magic to _cheat_ my way to success, you’re sorely mistaken. Is that what this is about? You think I don’t deserve what I have? You can have it! Take it all if that’s what you want. Just stop this madness!”

Clary laughs, “You have no idea what I want.”

“Then tell me!” Magnus shouts, desperation seeping through his voice, “I’ll give you whatever you want, just leave my friends alone!”

“My family and I want to rid the world of _your kind,_ ” Clary hisses, pointing, “You so-called _Magicians_ bring nothing to society. You’re _unnatural_ ; you need to be put away.”

Clary speaks with so much hate and ignorance that it makes Alec’s blood boil. He’s considering letting an arrow fly straight through her chest when Magnus speaks up again.

“Raphael called an ambulance. They’re on their way here now. If you leave Dorothea here to die, there will be an investigation. You’ll get caught. If you harm or kidnap two federal agents, the US government will come after you, and you’ll get caught.”

“Your point?” Clary asks, impatient.

“Magnus, don’t—.” Alec tries to say, heart in his throat, but he knows he’s too late; Magnus has made up his mind.

“Take me,” he says, stepping in front of Alec. “Let the ambulance take Dot to the hospital, leave my friends alone, and I’ll go willingly.”


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clary takes Magnus to her father.

Magnus isn’t sure how he’s even able to form words right now; he has never been more terrified in his life. His heart is beating so violently he thinks he might bruise a rib.

“Tempting offer,” Clary hums, as if mulling it over, but Magnus already knows she’ll accept – it’s him she wants, after all. “You’ve got yourself a deal, Bane.”

“No! Magnus, please, don’t do this.”

Alexander is practically begging, looking at him with wide, scared eyes, and Magnus wants to give in, wants to stand beside the man he loves and fight, but he can’t risk it.

“It’s the only way,” Magnus says firmly, looking away.

“Magnus, you can’t–!”

“You heard the man,” Clary interrupts, smirking, “Weapons down, boys.”

Magnus can see Alec struggling with what to do next in his peripheral vision. He silently pleads with him not to do anything brash; Clary’s men have large guns, and he knows they won’t hesitate to use them if Clary gives the order.

Raphael is still holding his gun, looking back at Alexander, as if he’s waiting to see how the FBI agent wants to play this.

Magnus can also see that Clary is growing more impatient by the second. He sighs, and takes a carful step toward Alexander, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Let me do this, Alec,” he says gently, “It’s the only way to save Dorothea.”

The agent lowers his weapon a fraction. Magnus can see Raphael do the same.

“I… I can’t let you—.”

“You don’t have a choice, if you value your lives, and poor little Dot’s,” Clary taunts. “Father only wants Magnus alive, so if I have to spare you to get him, so be it. I don’t care much about the girl, though; if she survives this, we’ll just come back for her later.”

Magnus whips his head back toward the redhead, furious, “For what? She’d be dead if we didn’t get her in time! What possible reason do you have to hurt her like this? What has Dorothea _ever_ done to you?”

Magnus is shaking with both anger and sorrow. They’d been _friends._ How did he not see this darkness in her? How did she fool him so completely?

“Oh, you don’t know?” Clary asks with a chuckle, eyes mischievous, “She’s one of _your kind,_ silly! We knew about her first, and then we found you. It’s a damn two-for-one special!”

Magnus’ blood runs cold. _No._ For a moment, he just stares at Clary, unbelieving. Then he glances back at Dot, lying on the ground, still unconscious, but breathing. “She’s… she’s a Magician, too?”

“ _What?_ ” Raphael and Alec ask simultaneously.

Clary laughs, “Wow, you FBI guys really aren’t that bright, huh? Mother was right about you.”

“Where is Fairchild?” Alec demands.

“As if I’d tell you,” Clary scoffs.

“We’ve tracked her to New York,” Raphael interjects, “We know she’s here. We’ll find your father, too. You won’t get away with his.”

Clary rolls her eyes, then turns her head at the sound of sirens getting closer. “I don’t have time for this. Bane, let’s go!”

Magnus sees the men behind her lift their guns and puts his hands up reflectively.

“Alright, I’m going. See?” he says, stepping forward, past Alec, who he makes an effort not to look at, and through the shed doors, past Raphael, who is still holding his gun. The CIA agent stops him briefly with a hand, looking at Magnus with concern. Magnus nods to him, communicating that he knows what he’s doing. Or, at least, he hopes he does. “No one else needs to get hurt.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Clary answers harshly, eyeing the agents. Then she motions to one of the men behind her, “Cuff him.”

The man holsters his gun and pulls out a pair of cuffs, but they aren’t made of metal like a normal pair. These cuffs are black, made of a thick material Magnus doesn’t immediately recognize, and they’re heavy as they lock into place, binding his wrists together. As soon as they click shut, Magnus can feel his energy deplete, like the cuffs are paralyzing his magic.

“What the hell kinds of cuffs are these?” he can’t help but ask. He tries to call on his magic, but to no avail. _What the hell?_

“Cuffs that you can’t magically get yourself out of,” Clary smirks, “Neat, right? That’s just a taste of the tech my father’s been developing. We can discuss it on the way.”

“Where are you taking me?” Magnus asks, desperate. The anger he felt before had faded into terror.

Clary sighs, “Do you think I’m some sort of idiot? You think I’m going to tell you where we’re going while these agents are still conscious? Ha! I _am_ a doctor, you know.”

“We _will_ find him,” Alexander declares, stepping out of the shed. Magnus can see the pain in his eyes, but he can also see determination, and strength. He knows the agent will not rest until he gets Magnus back. “It’s going to be okay, Magnus, I promise.”

“Don’t go making promises you can’t keep,” Clary gibes.

“Ms. Fray, we should leave now. Ambulance is less than 60 seconds out,” one of Clary’s men warns.

“Right. Move it, Bane.”

One of the goons grabs Magnus by the arm, pulling him roughly toward the gate at the back corner of the tall fence.

Raphael and Alexander stand frozen in place, weapons still drawn but aimed at the ground, like the well-trained agents they are.

As he’s pushed through to the other side of the fence and onto a secluded path, Magnus hears Clary pause to say one more thing to the agents.

“Follow us and he dies.”

…

Magnus can’t tell where Clary takes him because he is blindfolded the entire way there. It feels like an hour drive in the back of an old van, and then a short walk through some gravel. He’s guessing all of this, of course. They don’t remove the blindfold until Magnus is thrown onto the cold concrete floor of an empty room, his body sore from all the unpleasant manhandling. As his eyes adjust to the bright artificial light, Magnus takes a look around: There’s a long metal bench along one wall, and a sliding door on the opposite wall. One wall of the room is made entirely of glass, like a giant window, making Magnus feel like a caged animal on display. On the bench sits Clary Fray, legs crossed, her wavy red hair tumbling over her shoulder. In the far corner stands a guard of some sort wearing all black, hands clasped in front of him, keys hanging off of his belt.

“I hate to be the one to tell you this,” Magnus addresses the guard, a pale man who looks about 40 years old, at least, “but black really isn’t your color. You should try less harsh tones, I recommend olive green, or tan.”

The man remains silent, indifferent to Magnus’ jabs.

Magnus shrugs, trying to seem less terrified than he actually is, “Suit yourself.”

“Enough with the nonchalance,” Clary interjects, rolling her eyes. “Aren’t you just _dying_ to know where I’ve taken you?”

“You wouldn’t tell me if I asked, hence why I didn’t,” Magnus deadpans.

“True,” Clary acknowledges, “But you do have other questions, no? Maybe about that half-dead friend of yours?”

“I can’t believe you would do this to Dorothea,” Magnus spits, trying to keep a lid on his rage. No point in lashing out while he’s still handcuffed and incapable of using his magic. He eyes the keys on the guard’s belt. _If I could just get to them somehow…_

“Oh, please,” Clary scoffs, pulling Magnus’ attention back, “Dot was just a pawn, and so are you. I had to get close to you both in order to pull off my father’s plan. I’m shocked that neither of you were aware of the other’s…abilities.”

That’s another question plaguing Magnus’ mind – how did he not know about Dot’s magic? There must have been signs, but then again, he kept his own magic well hidden from his peers.

_Until now._

“What, did you think we were in some little club?” Magnus asks bitterly.

“That would have made things _a lot_ easier for me,” Clary chuckles, “All the freaks in one place.”

“Magicians know better than to expose themselves like that,” Magnus hisses, “Which begs the question: How did you find us? Why were you even looking? What did we ever do to you?” Magnus can feel his control slipping, but he’s so upset that he can’t stop himself. “We aren’t out and about showing off our magic. It’s a terrible secret, practically a curse! I wish I didn’t have these powers, but they’re a part of me, and there’s nothing I can do about it! So, tell me, Clary, why are you doing this? Why is your family coming after Magicians? Why can’t you just leave us alone!”

“I think I can answer that,” a man’s voice booms into the small room, and Magnus whips around to see an older man, balding with a shadow of stubble, march into the room with an air of magnitude and confidence. The door shuts loudly behind him, causing Magnus to startle.

Standing before him is Valentine Morgenstern. 

“Magnus Bane, is it?” The man asks.

“You should know, since you and your men tried to _kill me,_ ” Magnus snarls.

Valentine laughs, full-bellied and mocking, then smiles. “We’ve been tracking you and friend for a while now, Mr. Bane. At first, we were only interested in Ms. Rollins, but when your name popped up on the list of suspected Special Humans after your engagement with an undercover agent, Jocelyn thought it wise to keep an eye on you as well.”

“Wait, how did I end up on some list?” Magnus asks, baffled, “No one knew about my powers.”

“Did you really think you could cozy up to a federal agent and somehow retain any semblance of privacy?” Valentine asks.

Magnus rolls his eyes, “Alexander and I _broke up_ once he left the city. Wouldn’t I then become irrelevant?” 

“Naïve boy. For someone with such a high IQ, you sure are clueless, aren’t you?” Valentine tsks, shaking his head, “Governments _love_ to exploit their citizens in any way they can. The SHD kept a file on you, and lucky for us, you worked at the same hospital as Clarissa.”

“I had my suspicions about _what_ you were,” Clary explains, “So I kept tabs on the both of you under the guise of friendship. I had only seen Dot use her magic _once,_ during our resident orientation. Someone flatlined while we were touring the ER, and while the rest of us moved out of the way, she ran over to help.”

Magnus tries to think back to his first days of residency, but it’s all a blur.

“That patient lived,” Magnus remembers, trying to pull details from his memory, “The chief yelled at her for interrupting CPR, but she shocked the patient and saved his life.”

“Yeah, well, not with modern medicine she didn’t,” Clary scowls, “She did it with magic. In the chaos, no one noticed, but I knew what to look for. The paddles glowed when she shocked him, and the patient ended up with burns on his chest. That’s when I knew.”

“That’s my girl,” Valentine comments proudly.

Magnus wonders how on earth he could have missed that. 

“I could never catch Dot on camera, but then I started seeing your hands glow when you thought you were alone. I snapped some pictures and showed them to mother, but she needed more proof. That’s where your boyfriend came in handy.”

“You were right before – no one knew about your powers, “Valentine continues. “We figured that if you were going to share your dirty little secret with anyone, it would be him.”

_Alexander._

“There’s no way you could have known that,” Magnus seethes.

“And yet, here we are!” Valentine exclaims, “Come on, Mr. Bane, it’s a classic! Jocelyn read the Lightwood boy’s report about the two of you. She had no doubt he’d run to your rescue if he thought you were in danger, and he played right into our plan.”

“How is Ms. Fairchild?” Magnus asks, trying his best to keep his voice level, “Miserable, I hope?”

“She’s wonderful, actually, now that she’s left the FBI to pursue more pressing matters,” the older man informs him.

“Like what, becoming a traitor?”

“Like finding and catching every Magician in this country,” Valentine beams, “It’s the family business.”

“But _why,_ ” Magnus begs, his desperation prevailing over his pride, “Why would you do all of this? Why do you hate Magicians so much?”

“Because you’re dangerous!” Valentine shouts, “You aren’t _human,_ you don’t deserve to live among us.”

“Dangerous? I haven’t done anything wrong!”

“Lies!” Valentine bellows, pointing an accusatory finger at the doctor, “You committed a heinous offence, and forced yourself to forget it!”

Magnus freezes, remembering. _Camille._

“That…that…” Magnus stutters, his heart sinking. Guilt scratches at his throat. “That was an accident, I never meant–!”

“Ms. Belcourt found me on a forum and told me her story,” Valentine interrupts, “I recruited her and gave her the tools she needed to track you down, and when your name came up in one of Jocelyn’s case files, we thought it was too good to be true,” he discloses.

Magnus is dumbfounded but remains silent. His one mistake as a Magician had come back to bite him, hard: Camille had exposed him to a psychopath. Magnus wonders briefly if he could somehow go back in time to that night and do things differently. His thoughts are disrupted when Valentine speaks up again, pacing back and forth as he goes on.

“You know, when I first learned about your kind in college, I was fascinated! I studied them; I wondered how many of you there really were, and if you were good or evil. I started leaving messages in blogs and chat rooms, looking for anyone who had ever come in contact with Magicians, and learned about how to best recognize one. But the more I researched, the more I found stories of evil and darkness, proving to me that Magicians were irresponsible and treacherous. Ms. Belcourt reported that you didn’t even recognize her when she confronted you. Did you use some sort of memory spell? You can never erase what you’ve done!”

He pauses to take a breath, collects himself, then turns to glare at Magnus.

“Then, one of you killed my son.”

The rage in his quiet words makes the doctor shudder.

“You do remember _that_ don’t you, Magnus?” Clary asks.

Magnus does remember. _Jonathan Morgenstern. Motor vehicle accident._

Before Magnus can respond, Valentine continues, “I knew then that I had to stop you, _all of you_ , by any means necessary.”

With that, Valentine strolls out of the room, Clary following close behind, and the guard exiting last.

Magnus starts to panic. “Wait, what does that mean?” he pleads, scrambling to get to his feet. The cuffs on his wrists are keeping him drained. “Where are you going? You can’t just leave me in here!”

He doesn’t get an answer. Instead, he hears the heavy door slam shut, and watches them all walk away through the glass wall in front of him. 

“Come back here!” Magnus orders, but his cries go unheard. He runs up to the transparent wall and starts banging on the glass. “You can’t leave me here!”

The guard, Clary, and Valentine turn a corner and disappear from view, and Magnus lets himself collapse against the glass with a sob. He has no idea where he is, and no way to escape.

For the second time in his life, Magnus feels completely alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the next chapter! I'm trying to keep them long since you have to wait so long in between.  
> We finally get to meet Valentine and see where Clary got her wickedness.  
> Thanks so much for reading, can't wait to see your comments! XOXO, Edwina

**Author's Note:**

> I'M BACK AND I HOPE NOT TO DISAPPEAR FOR A MILLION YEARS THIS TIME.  
> hello all. if you've read my work before I am so sorry for abandoning you and like, all of my fics. I am going to try and work on finishing them while I have this semester off. BUT I started watching shadowhunters and ohmygawd, MALEC. *screams internally* I've been re-inspired, it's a goddamn miracle. Please leave comments, they are very motivating and I really want to write this story in full! 
> 
> Hope you are enjoying so far. Thanks for reading!


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